


No Sweeter Sin

by celardor



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha Victor Nikiforov, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mating, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Katsuki Yuuri, Royalty, Scenting, brief attempted rape, infidelity and attempted rape are not between Victor and Yuuri!, sort of infidelity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:27:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 48,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25712089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celardor/pseuds/celardor
Summary: Katsuki Yuuri, omega prince of the Kingdom of Saga, is betrothed to the arrogant alpha prince of a neighboring kingdom. The match is purely political, and will seal an important treaty between their two realms. Although Yuuri is unenthusiastic about the marriage, he’s resigned to his duty and prepared to sacrifice his happiness for the sake of his people. That is, until he meets the man leading his escort on the way to his wedding: Sir Victor Nikiforov, a charming and infamously handsome alpha, who also happens to be the bastard brother of his fiancé. When unforeseen dangers interrupt their journey, Yuuri and Victor find themselves growing closer… and ultimately embarking on a forbidden romance that will change the course of both their lives.
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Comments: 280
Kudos: 542
Collections: YOI Omegaverse Week





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my contribution to the 2020 YOI omegaverse week! I went with the “royalty” prompt, although it also has arranged marriage in it. The fic will update every Sunday, and should be 7 chapters plus an epilogue. If you are concerned about the “attempted rape” tag, I’ll warn again before the chapter where it happens. It is brief, and doesn’t get far, but I still wanted to warn for it.

Yuuri pulls back the heavy curtain, letting a ray of pale morning sunshine into the gloom of the carriage. He inhales deeply, savoring the woody scent of the fresh air, and peers out curiously. All he can see is trees and more trees, extending back from the well-worn road in all directions. Clouds gather overhead, and the late summer air carries the scent of imminent rain. Three days on the road, and the scenery has changed remarkably little thus far. He keeps looking for some hint that they are about to cross over the border into Estemor, but each day has just been more of the same. 

“...Yuuri? Did you hear what I just said?” A chiding voice interrupts his reverie.

“Hmm?” He turns his attention back to the inside of the carriage, where his maid Chiho is holding up two combs. 

“The blue one or the gold one?” she asks impatiently.

Yuuri sighs. “Does it matter? I don’t think the Estemorian escort will care one way or another how I’m dressed.” He looks down at the laces of the blue gown she had coaxed him into earlier that morning. Although it is one of his finest, he suspects it will look quite plain and dowdy compared to what most of the omegas wear at the Estemorian court. “The engagement is a done deal, after all,” he adds, somewhat glumly. “It’s not like they’re going to send me back.”

She gives him an unimpressed look. “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look your best.” She assesses the combs for a moment. “Let’s try the gold one.”

“Sure.” Yuuri nods noncommittally, and shifts in his seat so that she can perch behind him and begin the tedious process of combing out his long black hair and teasing it up into the latest style. He’s never much enjoyed getting dressed up, and he likes it even less now, knowing that the purpose of this exercise is to put him on display for a bunch of foreigners. Chiho’s ministrations are not entirely gentle, and Yuuri grimaces a little on the occasions when she pulls too hard at his hair. He misses his previous maid, who had served him for many years and been more of a friend and confidant. But she’d gotten married last year, so now Yuuri is stuck with Chiho. She’s a bit overly familiar for an omega’s maid, but she had come with excellent references. What’s more, she had previously worked in Estemor, so she should be a helpful resource for Yuuri after they arrive. Once his hair is done, she insists on applying a little makeup to his face as well. Afterwards, Yuuri looks at himself in his small handheld mirror and grimaces. Plain brown eyes in a pale face stare back at him. Even with makeup, he’ll never be any great beauty. _What will prince Deveran think of me?_ he wonders.

He turns away from his reflection with a sigh, and looks out the window again. Having completed her mission of dolling him up, Chiho retreats to her embroidery and leaves him alone with his thoughts, which inevitably turn toward his destination and his husband-to-be.

Yuuri has only met his fiancé once, several years ago when prince Deveran visited as part of a diplomatic delegation from Estemor. He remembers the alpha prince as a haughty, cold young man, who made little effort to hide how provincial and uncultured he found Yuuri’s home kingdom of Saga to be. Yuuri knows his mother and father, the King and Queen of Saga, would never have chosen to marry him off to the Estemorian prince if they could have avoided it. But with the increasing raids from Astera, it had become clear that their small kingdom needed an ally if they wanted any chance at holding off their foes and retaining their independence. Estemor is their best hope, and Yuuri’s marriage to the Estemorian heir will seal the treaty between their two kingdoms. 

Yuuri understands perfectly well _why_ his marriage is necessary, and as a royal omega has in fact been preparing for this eventuality his whole life. Despite this, he still feels increasingly bereft the further he gets from his family and home. The closer they draw to the border between Saga and Estemor, the more the walls of his carriage seem to close in about him like a trap waiting to be sprung. The oppressive thickening of the atmosphere and gathering rain clouds overhead don’t help.

About an hour later, he feels the rhythmic motion of the carriage begin to slow. There is a muddle of voices up ahead, and Yuuri leans out the window to see a few buildings and a mix of men and horses. In a moment the carriage stops altogether, and he and Chiho make their way out the back doors, picking their way gingerly down the wooden steps in their silk slippers. Yuuri is immediately buffeted by a brisk wind, and feels a couple of fat raindrops land on his head. He stops, taking in the scene around him.

The border crossing is not particularly imposing: a couple of two-story stone buildings stand on either side of the road, with some low barracks built behind them. In the middle of the road, a number of alphas and betas are milling about. The Saga guards who have accompanied Yuuri appear to be engaged in some sort of rearranging and packing, as most of them will be turning around to return to Hasetsu, the Saga capital. The remaining few will stay on to see him all the way to Erivan, the capital of Estemor. They will be accompanied by a somewhat larger force of Estemorian soldiers, who Yuuri can easily pick out by their unfamiliar faces and burgundy cloaks. Yuuri and Chiho are the only omegas to be seen.

Yuuri scans the various figures, and his eyes light upon a light-haired man with his back to him who appears to be giving orders to a number of the Estemorian soldiers. Yuuri approaches him cautiously, and clears his throat. At the sound, the man turns around and Yuuri is momentarily struck dumb. He’s _beautiful:_ silvery blond hair, blue eyes, and high elegant cheekbones that are unusual in an alpha. But there’s no question that he is an alpha: the slight hint of his scent is unmistakable, and he holds himself with the easy confidence that most alphas seem to naturally adopt. His armor looks to be of higher quality than that of the other soldiers, with a delicate rose insignia on his breastplate. That symbol, combined with his unique looks, gives Yuuri a clue to his identity, which is immediately confirmed.

“Your Highness, Prince Katsuki,” the man says, striding towards Yuuri. His smile is charming and heart-shaped, and he bows politely. “Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m Sir Victor Nikiforov, and I have the honor of escorting you through Estemor.” 

Yuuri does his best not to let his surprise show. He was expecting an Estemorian escort, but is unprepared for it to be led by Victor Nikiforov, the older half-brother of his fiancé, prince Deveran. Victor is the bastard son of Deveran’s father, King Andrei Maveris. His mother, Lady Vera Nikiforov, was a courtesan and legendary beauty. Victor’s impressive fighting skills and devastating good looks have made him the subject of numerous rumors and at least one well-known ballad. Yuuri can’t help but notice that the song was not inaccurate in its effusive descriptions of his handsomeness. He doesn’t know enough about the inner workings of the Maveris royal family, however, to know whether Victor being his escort is meant to be an honor or an insult. 

Either way, it’s best to treat him with respect. Yuuri curtsies carefully, casting his eyes down in an appropriately submissive posture. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Nikiforov. Thank you for providing my escort.” He’s so startled by the man’s identity (and by his beauty) that he almost forgets the customary Estemorian greeting between alphas and omegas. It’s only when Chiho helpfully steps on his toe that he remembers, and extends his hand, wrist up.

Victor’s smile widens, and he bends down to place a chaste kiss on Yuuri’s wrist, inhaling ever so slightly at the scent gland there. “The pleasure is most certainly mine,” he replies.

Yuuri represses a shiver at his touch. In Saga, such a greeting would be considered inappropriately intimate. However, his tutor had assured him that this type of scenting is normal in Estemor, so he’ll have to get used to it. Up close, Victor smells like fresh snow and the sharp bite of winter. Yuuri is struck by the intense blue of his eyes before he drops his hand and straightens back up. 

Yuuri opens his mouth to say something polite and probably inane, when there is a sudden crack of thunder and the heavy clouds above finally burst open. As the rain begins to pour down, Yuuri has a brief moment to lament the imminent ruin of his hair, makeup, and shoes. Before he can react, however, Victor has swung his long cloak down off of his shoulder, and is holding it over Yuuri’s head.

“Well, this is not exactly the warm welcome to Estemor I had imagined for you!” Victor exclaims with a little laugh. “Let’s get you back in your carriage, hm?”

Yuuri can only nod in acquiescence, quite startled to find himself suddenly pressed up against the strange alpha in order to stay sheltered under his cloak. Together, they dart back towards the carriage, moving as quickly as they can while trying to keep Yuuri out of the rain. When they reach the carriage, Chiho has beaten them there and already dashed inside. Victor drops his cloak onto Yuuri’s shoulders and takes his hand, deftly escorting him back up the slippery steps. 

“I’m afraid I must be terribly rude and leave you here for now,” he says with a rueful smile once Yuuri is safely ensconced under the carriage’s awning. “Perhaps we can continue our introductions once the weather has cleared.” The rain is truly torrential now, and Victor is having to shout slightly to be heard over it. His hair is plastered to his head in damp blond strands. It does not diminish his handsomeness in the slightest. 

“Yes, of course!” Yuuri nods hurriedly. “Thank you.” 

Victor sketches a quick bow, and trots off through the curtain of rain, already beginning to shout orders once more.

Behind Yuuri, Chiho clears her throat pointedly, and it’s only then that Yuuri looks down and realizes he is still wrapped in Victor’s cloak.

  
  


* * *

They get off to a somewhat slower start than intended, owing to the rain. Even once the main thunderstorm has passed, it continues to drizzle on and off for the remainder of the day. Yuuri does not see Victor again, or anyone besides Chiho really, until they finally halt for the evening. After a day spent cooped up inside the carriage, he is pleased at the chance to get out and stretch his legs. He grabs Victor’s cloak on his way out, which he had folded neatly and set aside earlier, trying not to scent it too obviously as he did so.

The sun is getting low in the sky, just beginning to dip behind red clouds. The rain has finally cleared, which is a welcome reprieve since they will be camping out tonight. Yuuri pities the soldiers, who had no choice but to ride in the elements all day, and hears some grumbling among them as they begin setting up camp for the evening. Stepping out of the carriage, he halts awkwardly as various eyes turn towards him. He’s never had occasion to spend much time with any of the Hasetsu guard, and the Estemorian soldiers are of course complete strangers. It’s actually probably not entirely appropriate for him to go wandering about the camp on his own, but Chiho had shown no interest in leaving the carriage. 

The captain of the Hasetsu guard approaches to ask if he can get him anything, and Yuuri explains he is looking for Victor. The captain eyes the folded cloak in his hands somewhat dubiously, and points him in the direction of a tent being erected nearby. Most of the men seem to be making do with bedrolls spread out on the ground, but Yuuri supposes that Victor is afforded a somewhat nicer accommodation. He makes his way towards the tent, trying to ignore the stares of the Estemorian soldiers as he passes by. Victor steps out from behind the tent as Yuuri approaches, and breaks into a sunny smile when he sees him.

“Prince Katsuki! I hope you do not find the primitive conditions of our camp too appalling,” he says. “I’m afraid we are rather in the middle of nowhere.”

“Oh, that’s alright. I don’t mind. We’ve been quite comfortable sleeping in the carriage.” This is not strictly true, since Yuuri does not particularly enjoy sharing a room with Chiho, who snores. 

“Well, this should be the last night of it in any case,” Victor says. “If we make good time tomorrow we’ll be spending the night at an inn. I’ve stayed there before, and while it’s not exactly luxurious, it should be much more comfortable.”

“I’ll look forward to it,” Yuuri says politely, thinking that at least it will be nice to wash off in a proper bath. “Is most of Estemor more settled than this, then?” he asks. They’ve once again been riding all day through woods, with no sign of inhabitation save for the road.

“Parts of it,” Victor says. “Once we get out of this forest and meet up with the King’s Road it becomes much more populous. I take it this is your first time in our fair kingdom then?”

“Yes. I- I haven’t traveled much, I’m afraid,” Yuuri says. In fact, he’s never before left the bounds of Saga.

“Well, perhaps I can act as a bit of a tour guide then! I’ve spent quite a lot of time on these roads.” Victor sounds genuinely friendly, and Yuuri can’t help but return his smile.

“That would be lovely.” Suddenly, he remembers the actual reason for his visit. “Oh, I wanted to return your cloak to you. I’m sorry to have stolen it,” he says, offering Victor the item in question. He feels a bit awkward, not least because he suspects that the cloak is now carrying his scent, making the whole transaction feel inappropriately like a courting ritual.

But Victor seems unconcerned as he accepts it. “Not a problem! I’m always happy to assist a damsel in distress,” he adds with a little wink.

Yuuri feels his face flush. Is Victor flirting with him? Surely not. “While you were quite gallant, I wouldn’t say I was truly in distress. It was only a bit of rain, after all.”

Actually, had Victor not intervened, Yuuri fears he would have made rather a spectacle of himself, as his wet dress would have been plastered to his body in moments. Victor raises an eyebrow, but politely refrains from pointing this out. “Well, I’d love to chat but I’m afraid I have to oversee the setting up of our camp. Perhaps tomorrow we can finally find some time for a proper conversation,” he says.

“Yes, of course,” Yuuri replies. “I’d like that.” Maybe he can find a polite way to ask Victor more about his fiancé. They are brothers, after all.

“Excellent. I’ll see you then,” Victor says. 

Yuuri smiles tentatively, sketches a quick curtsy, and takes his leave. As he walks back across the camp, he finds himself looking forward to getting to know the man better. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


The next morning, the camp is struck efficiently and they are soon on the road again. The weather seems determined to make up for the rain yesterday, and it’s a lovely day for traveling. The sun shines warmly, coupled with a refreshing breeze that carries just a hint of autumn coolness to come. Sitting in the carriage, Yuuri dearly wishes he could be out riding rather than stuck inside the slow-moving contraption. He’s certain that riding among the soldiers would be frowned upon however, and he doesn’t have a riding horse with him anyways. He attempts some reading and some embroidery, but neither holds his interest for long. Chiho is rather poor company, seeming preoccupied and uninterested in conversation. 

The highlight of his afternoon is when Victor comes to join him for lunch. They sit on the carriage steps eating bread and cheese while the group takes a short break, and Victor tells him a bit more about Estemor and the surrounding countryside, going so far as to draw a basic map of the kingdom in the dirt with a stick. The drawing shows the squarish shape of Estemor, with Saga to its east and Astera to its south.

“We’re about here right now,” he says, making an X in the southeastern corner of the kingdom. “In a day’s ride we’ll meet up with the King’s Road and turn north. We’ll stay on that until we reach Erivan, here.” He makes another X near the center of the kingdom.

Yuuri examines the map. “Why doesn’t the road take a more direct route there?” he asks.

“Ah, you must excuse my poor map-making skills. I forgot to draw in the Kirshorn mountains.” Victor adds a series of peaks to the map, jutting in from the west. “Their foothills extend out quite a ways. I’ve traveled through them myself, but it’s much rougher going and there isn't much in the way of real roads. The King’s Road simply goes around them.”

Yuuri nods, wondering what it would be like to have the freedom to move about like that. “Have you done a lot of traveling?” he asks.

Victor shrugs. “A fair amount. I try to get away from court whenever I can find an excuse,” he says with a wry smile. “But, don’t let me give you a bad impression of the capital! It’s a beautiful city, I’m sure you will love it.” 

Yuuri doesn’t want to pry into what Victor’s position in court is like, so he asks him more about the city of Erivan. From Victor’s descriptions, it sounds very different from where Yuuri grew up. Although Hasetsu is technically the capital city of Saga, it would be more accurate to say it’s the _only_ city in Saga. Originally founded as a fishing settlement at the mouth of a river, it still retains some of that small-town feel. By contrast, Erivan sounds like a teeming metropolis. Victor gives vivid descriptions of its bustling markets, soaring cathedrals, and the grand red stone palace of the Maveris family.

“My favorite place on the palace grounds are the gardens,” Victor says. “They’re so big you can get lost in them for hours. I used to do just that, when I was young.”

“It sounds like a wonderful place to grow up,” Yuuri says. How odd to think this strange unseen city will be the birthplace of his own children someday.

“It was, from what I remember of it,” Victor agrees. “But I actually spent most of my youth in Belgorod, where I was fostered with Lord Feltsman.” He points to a distant northern spot on the map. 

“Oh. Is it terribly cold that far north?” Yuuri asks.

“Oh yes. The Feltsmans claim it’s what makes them such strong warriors though. They even have a contest every winter where all the alphas go swimming naked in a frozen lake. I think it’s supposed to be a display of manliness.” 

“Really?” Yuuri laughs, enjoying how easy Victor is to talk to. Without thinking, he says, “I would think that a dip in cold water would only _diminish_ one’s manhood.” He blushes furiously once the words leave his mouth, embarrassed at his uncharacteristic boldness, but Victor bursts into laughter.

“You’re quite right! I’ve been roped into it a few times and that was indeed the effect.” Victor shudders dramatically, and Yuuri can’t help but laugh harder. 

Their levity is interrupted by the sound of a throat being cleared conspicuously. Yuuri looks up to see Chiho standing in the door to the carriage with a raised eyebrow. Victor coughs awkwardly, and Yuuri stifles his laughter. “Well, I should probably go get everyone back on the road again,” Victor says, glancing briefly at Chiho. “We’ll need to get moving if we want to make the inn by nightfall.”

“Yes, of course,” Yuuri agrees. 

Victor stands and offers his hand, which Yuuri takes. He pulls Yuuri to his feet, then takes his leave with a courtly bow. As Yuuri watches him walk off, he is struck by the brief mental image of a naked Victor rising out of a frozen lake like some alpha god of old. He tries his best to chase it off; it’s not exactly an appropriate thought to be having about his soon-to-be brother-in-law, after all.

* * *

  
  


It’s just nearing sunset when they finally draw up to the promised inn. The rambling building is a decent size but doesn’t seem to be terribly busy at the moment, and their arrival causes quite a to-do. The innkeeper, a plump and obsequious red-faced man, bows deeply to Yuuri when they are introduced and begins to immediately extol the many virtues of his establishment. Yuuri listens politely, but is quite thankful when the man finally shows him and Chiho to their room. Situated at the back of the inn’s upper floor, it’s comfortably appointed with a fireplace, large tub, and plain but well-made furniture. Chiho immediately sets to ordering several servants to light a fire, bring food and wine, and draw them a hot bath. 

Yuuri appreciates the chance to soak in the tub and wash away the grime of several days’ travel. He is less appreciative, however, of the interrogation that follows.

“So, I noticed you seemed to be getting quite friendly with Sir Nikiforov today,” Chiho says, vigorously scrubbing his hair.

Yuuri blushes, and sinks a little lower into the bath. “He was just being polite. It was kind of him to tell me more about Estemor.”

“If you say so. You know, he has a bit of a reputation with omegas.”

Yuuri hums noncommittally. As beautiful and famous as Victor is, that’s not exactly a surprise. Honestly, the same could probably be said of most unmarried alphas. Which makes him wonder…

“Chiho,” he asks, “I know you spent some time in Estemor. Did you ever meet prince Deveran?”

She glances up from where she is rinsing soap from his hair, and gives him an odd look. “No. I was an omega’s maid in a noble house, but I never attended any events at the palace myself.”

“Right. But, you must have heard about him? What did the omegas at court have to say about _his_ reputation?” He hasn’t had the courage to ask her about this before, but the closer they get to his wedding the more anxious he’s becoming about it.

She snorts. “Well he’s no virgin, that’s for sure. They say he’s had his pick of omegas, both common and noble.”

Yuuri gulps. How can he hope to capture the interest of this man?

Chiho must sense some of what he’s thinking. “Don’t worry so much. He’s marrying you for access to your family’s trading port, not for your skills in bed,” she says bluntly. “At least you can be sure he’ll know what he’s about. And he may not always be faithful, but that just means you won’t have to feel bad about kicking him out of your bed once you’re pregnant.”

Yuuri grimaces. “That’s a rather… pragmatic view of it, I suppose.”

She shrugs. “Well, that’s what marriage is.”

“Do you want to get married someday?” he asks.

She laughs. “And be an alpha’s sweet little broodmare? No, I don’t think it’s for me.”

Yuuri closes his eyes, feeling sick to his stomach as her words sink in. A marriage like that isn’t at all what he wants either, and yet it seems to be exactly what he’s destined for.

After they bathe, Yuuri and Chiho eat a simple dinner in their room, Chiho chattering about how she’s looking forward to returning to Erivan. Yuuri, however, can’t stop thinking about their earlier conversation. He eventually claims he has a headache, and they each take to their beds. Chiho’s snores soon emanate from her side of the room.

But sleep won’t come for Yuuri. He lies awake, tossing and turning, Chiho’s words echoing in his head. _“Sweet little broodmare”._ Is that all he’ll ever be to his husband? How can he live like that? And yet, what choice does he have? Not only his family, but the entire kingdom of Saga is dependent upon this marriage treaty. They won’t be able to withstand the next Asteran incursion without additional troops from Estemor. If he doesn’t go through with this, he dooms them all. 

After what feels like hours of these thoughts turning anxious circles in his head, he finally can’t take it anymore and sits up in bed, flinging off the covers. The fire that had previously felt warm and inviting now feels stiflingly hot. The room seems smaller, somehow, as if the walls are closing in around him. The weight of his duty is like a physical pressure on his chest, and his breaths come increasingly quick and shallow the more he thinks about his future. His heart beats wildly. Stifling a sob, he decides he can’t bear to sit in this room for one moment longer, and so he throws on a robe over his nightgown and peers out the door. There’s a pair of guards at the end of the hallway, but Yuuri sighs in relief when he sees they are busy flirting with one of the barmaids. He quietly slips out the door and down the hallway in the opposite direction. 

He manages to hold himself together just long enough to make his way out of the inn unnoticed, exiting through a small side door. He finds himself in a little herb garden, and throws himself down onto a bench under a tree, bursting into sobs. All of the emotions he’s been trying to suppress throughout the journey come pouring out of him along with the tears streaming down his face. His anxiety about his marriage, his fear of the future, his aching loneliness and worry for his family: he lets it all out, sobbing desperately into his hands. 

Eventually, the storm begins to subside, leaving numb exhaustion in its wake. Yuuri’s gasping breaths are just starting to calm, when he hears footsteps and a surprised intake of breath.

“Prince Katsuki? Are you alright?”

Yuuri whips his head up to see Victor standing in front of him. He’s holding a bottle of wine, and looks quite shocked to see Yuuri in such a state. “Did something happen?” Victor asks, sounding genuinely worried. “Are you hurt? Did someone-” 

“No, no, I’m fine,” Yuuri cuts him off, waving his hand. “I just… needed some air.” He turns his face away from Victor’s scrutiny and hastily tries to wipe away the tears. He must look an appalling mess, not to mention his state of undress. 

“Are you sure? I set a guard to keep watch on your room. They should have-”

“Yes, well, they were more interested in chatting up the barmaid than preventing my escape.” The words come out more bitterly than intended. Yuuri sniffs loudly and scrubs at his face with his sleeve.

Victor frowns, and takes a tentative step closer. “I’m sorry, you misunderstand. I just wanted to ensure your safety. You’re not a prisoner, you know.”

Yuuri shrugs. “I might as well be,” he mutters. He’s too tired and emotionally drained to summon the courtesy needed to navigate this unexpected encounter.

But to his surprise, Victor doesn’t seem offended. He just nods wordlessly and sits gingerly on the bench next to him. After a moment of awkward silence, he holds up the bottle he’d been carrying. “I came out here to get some air myself. Can I offer you some wine? You look like maybe you could use it. No offense.”

Yuuri laughs a little despite himself. It’s far too late to save face now, so why not? He accepts the wine and takes a long swig, then grimaces. “Gods, that’s sweet.”

“Yes, it’s quite terrible isn’t it?” Victor agrees cheerfully.

Feeling a bit reckless, Yuuri takes another gulp despite the wine’s cloying taste. For a few minutes, they just pass the bottle back and forth in silence. Yuuri’s hitching breaths gradually slow and his sniffling fades. The alcohol goes to his head quite quickly, temporarily softening the edges of his panic. Eventually, he feels the need to say something. “I’m… sorry about all this,” he says, gesturing vaguely at himself. “I couldn’t sleep and I was feeling overwhelmed and… I’m sorry if I alarmed you. I promise I’m not actually going to go running off into the night. I know-” He swallows. “I know my duty. I won’t run from it.”

Victor is quiet for a moment, then says, “I admire your courage.” 

Yuuri looks up in surprise, ready to take offense, but Victor doesn’t seem to be mocking him. “It’s true,” Victor says. “If it was me marrying a stranger in a fortnight, I probably _would_ run for the hills.” 

At Yuuri’s skeptical look, Victor shrugs. “I’ve faced my fair share of foes in battle, sure. But what you’re doing takes a different kind of courage.”

Yuuri is momentarily speechless. Victor is nothing like he thought he would be, and nothing like any alpha he’s known before either. Perhaps that’s why he feels a sudden desire to open up to him. “I don’t feel courageous,” he says quietly. “I’ve never been more frightened in my life. I’ve never been outside of Saga before, and I’m already homesick. I miss my family. I wish… I wish even one of them could have come for the wedding.”

“Ah. I had wondered...”

“Why a prince would only be accompanied by one maid and a few guards?” Yuuri sighs. “It’s because there’s no one else to send with me. Everyone is needed at home. My father is recovering from an injury and can’t travel, my mother has to oversee Hasetsu while he recuperates, and my sister and most of our forces are still stationed at the Asteran border.”

“That’s why you’re marrying my brother, right? The conflict with Astera.”

Yuuri nods. “Their raids have been getting worse and worse this past year. My father was badly wounded holding off the last one, and he barely succeeded. Saga is so small, we don’t have much of a fighting force. My parents figured that since Estemor had fought Astera off before, you could help us.” He looks down at his hands, twisting his robe between them. “As an omega, I’m not permitted to help fight. So I have to help my kingdom the only way I can, with this marriage.” 

Victor nods thoughtfully. “I think I understand. At least, I understand what it’s like to follow duty before all else. I’ve spent most of my life following my father’s orders, fighting his wars. Sometimes it feels like I’ve done nothing but go from one battlefield to another.” 

“Then I should apologize, for dragging your kingdom into another war to protect mine.”

Victor turns a rueful smile on him. “No, lovely Yuuri, don’t apologize for that. You’re an omega, I’m a bastard; ultimately we’re both just pawns in a greater game.”

Yuuri feels his face redden at being called “lovely”, a description which he surely does not merit at the moment. Somehow despite the strange circumstances, he can’t help but feel comfortable with Victor, however. Perhaps it’s the wine, or perhaps it’s the fact that Victor seems to talk to him like an equal. He summons the courage to ask Victor the question that’s been on his mind all evening. 

“Your brother, Prince Deveran, does he… have you talked to him about our marriage? Do you think… is he pleased at the prospect, or…?”

Victor sighs and looks down at his hands. “I haven’t seen my brother in quite some time, I’m afraid. I’ve been stationed down south for the past year, so I haven’t spoken to him since before your marriage was arranged. To be honest, we aren’t very close. I think he prefers it that way.” He shrugs. “So as for his feelings about marriage… I couldn’t really say. But I can tell you this much.” He looks up into Yuuri’s eyes. “If he doesn’t appreciate you, Yuuri, then he’s a fool.”

Yuuri opens his mouth to respond, realizes he has no idea what to say to that, and closes it again. He looks away from Victor’s earnest gaze, thoughts a confused muddle. 

Victor clears his throat. “Well, I hate to say it but I think we may need to get you back to your room. Ideally before anyone thinks to look for you.” He looks pointedly at Yuuri’s state of dress. 

Following his gaze, Yuuri looks down at himself and blanches as he realizes how this looks. He’s barefoot, dressed only in his nightgown and robe, hair mussed, and head slightly fuzzy from the wine. He suddenly realizes the inevitable conclusion that would be drawn if anyone were to see him like this, alone with Victor late at night. “Oh gods, if we go back to my room now the guards will think… will think…” he stutters.

“...will think I’ve been giving you rather _too_ warm of a welcome to Estemor, I’m afraid,” Victor says with a wink. “But fear not! I will distract them so that you may sneak back into your room, virtue intact.”

Yuuri laughs, and gratefully takes him up on this offer. Victor is as good as his word: they part ways inside the inn, and when Yuuri creeps up the back staircase and rounds the corner he can see Victor speaking with the guards. It sounds like he’s admonishing them for fraternizing with the barmaid instead of doing their duty, which ironically serves very well to distract them while Yuuri sneaks back into his room. As he slips into bed, he notes thankfully that Chiho is still asleep and presumably oblivious to both his departure and return.

Lying in bed, Yuuri turns his conversation with Victor over in his head, the wine still making him feel a bit muzzy. Victor seemed genuinely caring. More than that, he had said Yuuri was courageous! That’s not the sort of thing he would have expected to hear from an alpha, let alone one like Victor. He thinks about Victor’s blond hair glinting in the moonlight, and the softness in his eyes when he’d called Yuuri “lovely”. He thinks about his scent, and how he’d winked when he said it might look to others like he’d taken advantage of Yuuri in the garden. His last thought before he drifts to sleep is that he almost wishes Victor _had_ taken advantage of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be up on Sunday. Comments are very much appreciated!
> 
> I'm celardor12 on tumblr and twitter.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day dawns bright and blustery, and Yuuri wakes feeling somewhat refreshed. He has a slight headache from last night’s wine, but feels better after eating breakfast. Chiho has another dress laid out for him to wear, but he decides to assert some of his remaining independence and insists on wearing a set of silk pants and tunic instead. He’s never particularly liked dresses, but evidently the current fashion in Estemor is for both male and female omegas to wear them. So for now, he’ll enjoy wearing pants while he still can. Chiho helps him put his hair back in a simple bun, held in place with two long pins.

As they prepare to leave, Yuuri catches Victor’s eye amidst the bustle in the inn’s courtyard, and they share a small smile. No one else seems to be at all aware of his meltdown last night, and Yuuri is incredibly grateful for Victor’s kindness and discretion. They don’t have a chance to speak privately, however, and Yuuri thinks sadly that they may not get another chance for the remainder of the journey.

They are soon on the road once more, and after an hour or so they finally reach the edge of the woods. From there, they enter a more open land of rolling hills dotted with the occasional farm and small patches of trees. As Victor had told Yuuri they would, they reach an intersection with the King’s Road around midday. They turn north onto the larger road, and as they travel through the afternoon the land becomes gradually more hilly and barren. Yuuri can just make out a line of mountains on the western horizon. Overall, the day is quite peaceful and uneventful. 

Until all hell breaks loose.

They’ve just come around a bend and entered an area where steep hills rise on either side of the road. Yuuri is attempting to work on some embroidery, and Chiho is reading quietly on the other side of the carriage. The embroidery is not going particularly well (it’s never been his strong suit), and Yuuri is just considering that he may have to rip some of the stitches out and start again, when there is a sudden whirring noise and a very loud  _ thunk _ as something hits the wooden wall of the carriage. 

A split second after, there is a violent eruption of screams and shouting from outside. Yuuri rushes to the window, and looks out on a scene of utter chaos. Men and horses run to and fro, while arrows rain down from above. He hears several voices shouting orders, barely intelligible over the cacophony of frightened horses and men screaming in pain. At first Yuuri can’t make sense of what he’s seeing, but then he sees a group of strange riders in black cutting their way through the Hasetsu and Estemorian guards. Yuuri has just come to the heart-stopping realization that their own forces appear to be badly outnumbered, when he is suddenly yanked back from the window.

“Yuuri! Are you crazy!? Get down!” Chiho yells, dragging him to the floor of the carriage.

Yuuri’s breaths are coming in rapid, shallow gasps. His mind is a haze of fear as he and Chiho scramble back into a corner of the carriage. Yuuri looks around frantically to think if there is any sort of weapon within reach, but comes up short. Not that it would do much good if there were: as an omega, he’s never been permitted any sort of weapons-training whatsoever. He clenches Chiho’s hand in a white-knuckled grip and waits.

They spend an agonizing and uncountable number of minutes listening in horror to the battle outside. Then suddenly, the carriage doors are wrenched open and two figures in black enter. They smell potently like alphas with their blood up, and Yuuri and Chiho automatically shrink back from the fear-inducing scent. One of the men quickly spots the two omegas and points, and before Yuuri can fully react both alphas lunge at them. Chiho shrieks, but doesn’t put up much of a fight as she is dragged from the carriage by one. The other grabs Yuuri’s arm, and when Yuuri attempts to struggle away he gets backhanded across the face and bodily hauled out. 

Head spinning, Yuuri tries to take in the scene around him as the strange alpha manhandles him away from the carriage. There are bodies everywhere, of both men and horses, and the screams of wounded and dying fill the air. Some of the bodies Yuuri recognizes, and some he does not. He sees the captain of the Hasetsu guard, lying half under his horse with his neck slashed open. Yuuri looks around frantically for some sign of Victor, but doesn’t see him in the chaos.

The alpha’s grip on Yuuri’s arm is merciless as he pulls him towards a waiting pair of horses. Yuuri stumbles after him, too dazed by the carnage around him to put up much of a fight. Chiho seems to be in a similar state, clambering numbly up onto one of the horses at the urging of the alpha with her. He promptly mounts behind her, and begins to ride off. The other alpha drags Yuuri up to the second horse and shoves him against the animal, shouting something Yuuri doesn’t understand and gesturing in a way that suggests he wants Yuuri to mount up as well. When Yuuri makes no move to do so, the alpha simply grabs him and swings him up onto the horse like a sack of vegetables. 

The alpha mounts the horse behind him, then forces Yuuri up into a sitting position so that the alpha’s large arms encircle him from behind. The alpha grabs the reins and kicks the horse into motion. From this new perspective, Yuuri has a much better view and is horrified to see that the battle is all but over. The Hasetsu and Estemorian troops have been decimated. But then he catches sight of movement not far away, and realizes that it’s not quite finished yet. There’s one soldier still standing.

Victor is on his feet, surrounded by four foes. He looks exhausted, but the motion of his sword blade is still shockingly fast. Despite the circumstances, Yuuri finds himself briefly entranced by the deadly beauty of Victor’s movements as he fends off an attack from one of his assailants, then whirls around to stab the man through an opening in his armor.

“Victor!” Yuuri cries.

At the sound of his voice, Victor turns to look his way, their eyes meeting for a second across the battlefield. The momentary distraction, however, is enough to allow one of Victor’s opponents to come up on him from behind and stab him in the shoulder with a dagger. Yuuri screams in horror as Victor staggers under the blow. But then with a roar Victor pulls the dagger out of his shoulder and barrels into his attacker, stabbing him in the throat with it. They both fall to the ground, and then Yuuri is unable to see anymore of the fight, as the horse he is on picks up speed.

Somehow the sight of Victor, beset on all sides and hopelessly outnumbered but still fighting, ignites a spark of courage inside Yuuri that he hadn’t known was there. It’s with the thought of Victor fighting for his life that Yuuri, acting almost on instinct, pulls one of the long pins out of his hair and stabs it blindly behind him at his captor.

The attack proves to be much more effective than Yuuri could have foreseen. He feels the pin sink into something soft, and twists around to see it sticking out of the alphas neck, blood welling up around the base. The alpha fumbles at the wound in panic, eyes wide with shock. He manages to yank the pin out, but its removal is followed by a great gush of blood that sprays from his neck in pulsing spurts. Yuuri, who is still pressed up against him, sputters in horror as he is covered in red rivulets, the taste of the blood salty and metallic in his mouth.

He pushes against the alpha, who sags in the saddle, mouth opening and closing uselessly as blood continues to pour from the wound. The horse whinnies in fear, then rears back onto its hind legs. The alpha slides helplessly off the saddle, and Yuuri follows, hitting the ground with a bone-jarring thud. The horse immediately gallops away, leaving Yuuri to stare in horror at the alpha’s body on the ground in front of him. He is very clearly dead now, sightless eyes staring up at nothing and the bleeding from his neck slowed to a sluggish leak. Yuuri scrambles backward in shock.

Suddenly he hears hoof-beats, and looks up to see another horse charging in his direction. He flinches away, but the rider reins the horse in sharply and extends their arm down to him.

“Yuuri! Quickly!”

Dazedly, Yuuri looks up to see that the rider is Victor. Heart pounding, body shaking, he forces himself to his feet and grabs Victor’s hand. Yuuri’s own hand is slippery with blood, but Victor grips him tightly and helps pull him up onto the horse in front of him. Yuuri grabs a hold of the horse’s mane, and Victor grabs the reins, arms encircling Yuuri just like the strange alpha had done. This time, however, Yuuri welcomes the sensation.

“Hold on,” Victor says in his ear, and then they’re off, the horse leaping forward with a great burst of speed.

They ride full-out down the road, Victor furiously urging the horse on. Yuuri tries to listen for sounds of pursuit, but can’t hear anything over the drumming of the horse’s hooves and his own pounding heartbeat. He leans forward and concentrates on holding on. 

After a few minutes of riding at a breakneck pace, Victor slows the horse slightly and turns them towards a gap in the hills to their left. “We have to get off the road,” he says tightly. 

Yuuri nods numbly. 

“Yuuri, all this blood... are you injured?” Victor asks. 

Yuuri looks down at his red hands, still tightly gripping the horse’s mane. “No, I’m… I’m alright,” he says, shakily. Then, “Victor, your shoulder! I saw-”

“It’s fine,” Victor says shortly. “We’ll deal with it later. Do you see anyone behind us?”

Yuuri twists around to peer over Victor’s shoulder, and sighs in relief to see the road is empty. For now. 

“No,” he says. “I don’t see anyone. Aren’t they following us?”

“If they aren’t now, they might be soon,” Victor says grimly. “There aren’t many of them left, but there are enough. I don’t know if anyone saw us ride off in all the confusion though.”

They don’t speak for a while after that. Victor steers the horse off the road and into a little gully, then up and over a grassy rise. On the other side is a wooded area, and they quickly ride into it and lose themselves amongst the trees. They ride as quickly as they can without risking an injury to the horse, going deeper and deeper into the forest. As their pace slows, Yuuri feels as though all the energy is draining out of him, leaving a blank state of shock in its wake. He sways numbly back and forth, images of the battle replaying in his mind on repeat.

How long they ride for, he couldn’t say. Eventually, he realises that they’ve stopped moving. Victor has dismounted, and is trying to get his attention.

“Yuuri?” he says. “I think we’ll have to stop here for now, before it gets too dark to see.”

Yuuri blinks, awareness of his surroundings slowly returning. It’s not night yet, but the sun is getting low in the sky and darkness is gathering under the trees. Victor is extending a hand up to him, presumably to help him down off the horse.

“You shouldn’t put any strain on your shoulder,” Yuuri says, waving him away and dismounting on his own. He takes a moment to take stock of their surroundings. They’ve stopped in a small clearing, but tall trees surround them on all sides. “Where are we?” he asks.

“In the Kirshorn foothills, or nearly,” Victor says wearily. “I’ve come this way before. It’s about a week’s ride from here to Erivan, if we go straight there and stay off the road. If we make it through the next day or two, I don’t think the Asterans will be able to find us.”

“Asterans! Is that who attacked us?” 

“Yes, I recognized the language. And their fighting tactics. But how they got so far into Estemor… I have no idea. It should not have been possible.” Victor shakes his head blearily, and sways on his feet a little. Yuuri looks at him more closely, and realizes that his face is ashen. The sight snaps Yuuri back into focus.

“Victor,” he says seriously. “Sit down. I need to take a look at your shoulder.”

Victor first looks like he might protest, but then grimaces and nods. He walks to the edge of the clearing and all but collapses at the base of a tree. 

“Do you have any sort of a medical kit?” Yuuri asks, noticing that there are a number of bags strapped to the horse. “Wait, is this even your horse?”

That gets a small smile from Victor. “Indeed it is. Her name is Makkachin, and she’s never abandoned me yet. There’s a small medical kit in the lower bag.” 

Yuuri rummages through the bags, and finds a small satchel filled with herbs, a few ointments, and some bandages. He finds a waterskin as well, and brings both over to Victor, who is trying to take off his armor and struggling due to the stiffness of his shoulder.

“Here, let me help.” Yuuri bats Victor’s hands away and helps to undo the buckles holding his armor on. It takes a few minutes because Yuuri doesn’t know how it all straps on and Victor has to help some, grimacing in pain every time he moves his left arm. Eventually they get it all off, and then gingerly remove Victor’s tunic as well. He’s bare from the waist up, which would be extremely distracting if not for the circumstances.

Yuuri peers closely at the wound. It’s fairly obscured by blood, so he starts by rinsing it with water, doing his best to clean the worst of the blood off of his own hands while he’s at it. Victor hisses when the water splashes over the injury, and Yuuri mutters an apology. Once it’s clean, he can see that the wound is thankfully not terribly deep. But it’s bad enough that it will need careful tending to lest it fester.

Yuuri rifles through the medical satchel, eyeing its contents dubiously. “Do you have any aralium?” he asks.

“Aralium? I don’t think so, what is that?” Victor asks.

“It’s an herb that should be packed into a wound to keep it from putrefying. I can also use goldenseal, which you have, but it doesn’t usually work as well. I don’t suppose you have any strong alcohol?” Yuuri asks.

“Unfortunately no.” Victor watches Yuuri examine the wound. “You seem to know what you're doing,” he observes.

“I should,” Yuuri says. “I’ve studied some healing. I was always interested in it, so our Palace Healer taught me in her spare time. I even helped her tend to patients occasionally, as much as my parents would allow. I had my own herbal stores packed with all my things, but now that’s gone.”

“Wow. Sounds like you know a lot then, lucky me,” Victor says with a weak smile. It turns into a grimace, however, as Yuuri begins spreading some ointment on the wound. He packs some herbs onto it as well, then carefully winds a roll of bandage around the whole thing and ties it securely. Victor holds rigidly still all the while, gritting his teeth and watching silently as Yuuri works.

The whole situation feels very strange. Yuuri’s done this a few times before, under Healer Minako’s guidance, but this is different. Victor smells like alpha, and like blood, and now that the immediate crisis is past Yuuri can’t stop his thoughts from turning back towards the attack. He realises that he himself smells like blood too, the dead alpha’s scent still clinging to him. The more he thinks about it the more nauseated he feels, and his hands are shaking by the time he finishes tying off Victor’s bandage. 

“There, that’s the best I can do for now,” he says. 

“It looks great. Yuuri, are you sure you aren’t injured? You don’t look well,” Victor replies.

“I just… need to get this blood off of me,” Yuuri says, aware that his voice is beginning to sound strained and panicky. He fumbles for the waterskin and pours some onto his hands, then begins to scrub at his face and neck. He can’t get the image of the alpha’s face out of his mind: eyes bulging in terror and blood spurting from the wound. The sight of the sticky red mess on his hands as he tries to wipe it off his face only makes Yuuri more agitated. 

“Here, let me,” Victor says, gently laying a hand on his shoulder to interrupt his frenzied motions. Yuuri stills, and realizes to his surprise that he is crying. Victor dampens a spare piece of cloth bandage, and begins to carefully wipe the blood from Yuuri’s face. To Yuuri’s distress, Victor’s gentle ministrations only make him cry harder. 

“Shhh, it’s okay,” Victor murmurs. “It’s okay.” 

Victor methodically wipes Yuuri clean with steady hands, making soft soothing noises. He rubs the cloth gently over Yuuri’s face, and rinses his hair as best he can. Yuuri is too drained to do anything but sit there and allow it, tears still trickling down his face. Victor hesitates for just a moment before beginning to clean Yuuri’s neck, and Yuuri can’t entirely repress a little shiver as Victor carefully runs the cloth over the small scent glands there. It’s the most intimate Yuuri has ever been with an alpha, but he finds that he doesn’t mind. In fact, Victor’s closeness and potent scent are so soothing that when Victor puts down the cloth and tentatively opens his arms, Yuuri immediately seizes upon the invitation and leans into his embrace. Up close, his scent is even more wonderful, and Yuuri helplessly buries his face in Victor’s uninjured shoulder.

“I’m s-sorry,” he mumbles against Victor’s skin.

Victor shakes his head. “Don’t be,” he says, hand coming up to stroke Yuuri’s hair. “You’ve been through something horrible.”

“So have you,” Yuuri points out stubbornly, “but you’re not f-falling apart.”

“Yes, but that was not my first battle.” 

For a while they just sit there like that, Yuuri crying into Victor’s shoulder and Victor gently holding him. Eventually Yuuri’s tears slow, and he gets his breathing under control. 

“What will happen now?” he asks in a small voice.

“Well, it’s possible that the Asterans may try to follow us,” Victor says. “But we have two things in our favor. One is that we got a head start, and the other is that there is no way that they know this land as well as I do.”

Yuuri nods, trying to wrap his mind around their new circumstances. The whole situation is completely overwhelming; his head is spinning. He remembers something he had been wondering, and tilts his head to look up at Victor. “How was it you were able to get away? I saw you fighting several of them, but then I lost sight of you.”

“I killed them,” Victor says matter-of-factly. “And then Makkachin found me. I had been knocked off of her early on, but she made her way back to me just in time. I rode in the direction I’d seen you go, hoping to take out your captor. I have to say, I didn’t expect that you would beat me to it.” Yuuri shudders, and Victor squeezes his shoulder a little more tightly. “Anyway,” he goes on, “there weren’t that many of them left by the time I rode off. I’d guess maybe five to ten, and they were further down the road from me. They may have seen me leave, but I don’t think they could have caught up in time to see exactly where we got off the road.”

Yuuri silently takes this in for a minute. “So then, assuming they don’t catch up with us, we’ll just travel on to Erivan?” he asks.

Victor nods. “I promise, Yuuri, that I will do everything in my power to get you there. And once I do, I’m going to figure out who was responsible for this attack and make them very, very sorry.” Yuuri glances briefly at Victor’s face, and the look he sees there is frightening.

“I’m so sorry, Victor,” he whispers. “I can’t help but feel responsible for all this somehow. Were you very close with those soldiers?”

Victor sighs. “No, actually. I met them shortly before you did. They’d only recently been sent down from Erivan, and none of them were seasoned troops. This should have been a very safe and boring journey, no one was expecting any real danger. We were mostly just supposed to provide a ceremonial escort and scare off any robbers.” He looks into the distance, grief and anger on his face. “They never stood a chance against that many well-trained Asteran fighters. I may not have known them well, but they still died under my command. That makes it my responsibility, not yours.”

Yuuri frowns. “I saw how many attackers there were. I may not know much about fighting, but even I could see how outnumbered we were. Even  _ you _ couldn’t have fought them all off. Although… you don’t think  _ any _ of our men survived?” His gut twists in sadness for the handful of dead Saga guards, most of whose names he hadn’t even known. 

“No,” Victor says grimly. “Asterans don’t take captives. The ones not fighting me at the end were busy taking care of any other survivors.”

“But… they were going to take  _ me _ captive. They could have killed me in the carriage but they didn’t. And one of them rode off with my maid, Chiho!” Yuuri feels a sudden wave of guilt at only now having thought of her. “Oh gods… what will they do with her?”

“Ah, I should have said that Asterans don’t take fighters captive. But they do regularly take omegas as spoils of battle. The fate of your maid will depend on whether they think she has value as a hostage. If they do, they will hold her for ransom. If not… omega captives are typically given to Asteran warriors to take as a wife.” 

Yuuri shudders, feeling intensely sorry for Chiho. “That’s… barbaric,” he says. 

“Yes, it is,” Victor agrees. “What I can’t stop thinking about,” he adds, “is  _ how they knew where we were _ . They knew just the right spot to ambush us, and had just enough men to pull it off. How would a group of Asterans, who by all rights should not have even been able to enter the kingdom, get that kind of information?”

Yuuri just shakes his head. “Your guess is as good as mine.” He doesn’t have any answers. The same questions worry him, but he’s too tired and numb to think through all the ramifications of the day’s events. 

They sit for a few minutes in silence. Yuuri still feels dazed, and Victor has a brooding look on his face. Eventually, Yuuri reluctantly pulls himself out of Victor’s embrace and takes a deep breath. “I guess we should make camp for the night then?” he says. “Sorry for… crying all over you.”

Victor turns to him and smiles gently. “It’s quite alright. In fact, as long as you stick to my uninjured side, you can cry on my shoulder anytime.”

Yuuri tentatively returns his smile. In truth, he’s too exhausted and overwhelmed to worry as much as he normally would about the total impropriety of pressing himself up against a shirtless alpha he barely knows. Victor, for his part, seems wholly unbothered by the intimacy. He gets carefully to his feet, and begins to unload the horse, muttering what sounds like an apology to her for keeping her waiting. Yuuri hurries to help, and together they set about making a rough camp for the evening.

They’re both too tired to do much more than see to Makkachin and mechanically eat a few field-ration bars that Victor produces. He explains that he always travels with a number of essential items packed in Makkachin’s saddlebags because certain habits are hard to break. Whatever the reason, Yuuri is certainly thankful that they have a decent complement of supplies with them. 

They agree that it’s not a good idea to try lighting a fire for fear of drawing attention to themselves, and also decide that they should take turns keeping watch throughout the night. Yuuri opts to take the first shift, insisting that Victor should sleep first because he’s wounded and needs it most. Victor reluctantly agrees, and lays down in his bedroll. There’s only one, and Yuuri wonders vaguely what they will do for sleeping arrangements later on if they decide they are no longer in immediate danger and want to both sleep at the same time. It’s hardly the most pressing of their concerns, however. 

Yuuri wraps himself in a blanket and huddles down near Victor, peering out at the surrounding dark. Now that the sun has set, it’s difficult to see more than a few feet away. He can just make out Makkachin’s reassuring bulk nearby, and hear her quiet movements in the dark. He thinks that it’s just as well that he took the first watch, because despite being desperately tired he doesn’t think he could fall asleep right now if he tried. His thoughts are a muddle, the same questions turning over in his mind again and again:

_ Who ordered the attack, and what was its purpose? Were the Asterans trying to capture him, and if so why? What does this mean for his marriage? And, will he and Victor make it safely to Erivan? _

He has far too many questions, and no answers to any of them. The only thing he’s sure of right now is that he trusts Victor, and is thankful to have him at his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make my day!
> 
> I'm celardor12 on tumblr and twitter.


	3. Chapter 3

Yuuri keeps watch that night for what he judges to be several hours. He startles at every small rustling sound in the dark, but the night is eerily peaceful. Eventually, when he feels his eyelids starting to droop despite his best efforts, he shuffles over to Victor and gently shakes his shoulder. Victor comes awake in an instant, sitting bolt upright and then relaxing when Yuuri assures him that all is well. When he gets up, Yuuri takes his spot in the bedroll and does his best to get comfortable. He finds that it is surprisingly easy to relax. The bedroll is permeated with Victor’s scent, and although it is strange he finds it actually quite comforting. He falls asleep almost immediately.

In the morning, Victor wakes him with a careful touch. Yuuri experiences a moment of strange disorientation before the memories of the previous day come flooding back. But rather than allow himself to be completely lost in anxiety, he decides to focus on preparing to travel once more. He insists on taking another look at Victor’s wound while they eat a quick breakfast, and finds that it looks much the same as yesterday, although the bleeding has slowed. 

“It looks alright for now,” Yuuri says, carefully retying the bandage. “But we’ll have to keep an eye on it. I wish I had my full healing kit with me.”

“Don’t worry, you’re taking much better care of it than I could have if it was just me,” Victor assures him.

“It’s the least I can do, since you only got injured in the first place because I yelled and distracted you.” Yuuri still feels quite guilty about this.

Victor frowns. “Don’t think of it that way. I’ve had worse injuries, believe me. If you hadn’t called out I might not have seen you ride off. Actually, the hope that it was not yet too late to save you gave me the motivation to keep fighting.” 

Yuuri blushes, and turns away from his too-earnest gaze. “Well, I still feel badly about it,” he mutters.

As they’re packing up to leave, Yuuri realizes with disgust that the clothing he’s been wearing is marred by several large blood stains. The smell is off-putting, to say the least.

“Victor,” he asks, “do you have any spare clothes? Mine are… vile.”

Victor eyes him in an appraising way. “I have some extras, but they’ll be a bit big on you. You’re welcome to try them though.”

“I’ll take anything that’s not covered in blood,” Yuuri says gratefully. 

Victor fishes out a tunic and pair of breeches from a bag, then chivalrously turns his back while Yuuri changes into them. He winds up needing to tie his silk sash around the waist of the breeches to keep them up, and the tunic sags off his shoulders in a way that probably looks laughable.

Victor turns around, and raises his eyebrows. 

“I know, I know, I look ridiculous,” Yuuri says. “But at least they’re clean.”

Victor’s gaze slides across Yuuri’s exposed collarbone. “You look…just fine.” He clears his throat. “Well, shall we get going?”

Yuuri nods, and they each swing themselves up onto Makkachin. Yuuri positions himself behind Victor’s saddle this time, which will be more comfortable for a longer ride. Riding double like this isn’t ideal for Makkachin for long periods of time, but they don’t have another option. Yuuri tries not to feel too awkward about wrapping his arms around Victor to hold on. Victor waits until he’s settled into position, and they set off. 

Victor takes them on a route that draws them closer to the foothills of the mountains, gradually leaving the road further and further behind them. He explains to Yuuri that his plan is to take a more-or-less direct path through the wilderness, making directly for Erivan. He says that, in his experience, it is just as quick as taking the road if you know the way. And besides, considering what happened to them on the road, they both seem to instinctively feel that this route is safer despite being so remote. Or rather, it feels safer precisely  _ because _ it’s so remote.

Their ride takes them mostly through wooded areas, with intermittent breaks in the tree cover that open out onto grassy meadows. They do see some signs of habitation in the form of a couple small cottages or an occasional bit of a path. They steer clear of these, however, and they get fewer as the day progresses and they move into wilder areas. They seem to be making good time, even accounting for some stops to let Makkachin graze or drink water from the occasional stream. Yuuri is glad for these opportunities to stretch his legs. He’s a competent rider, but not used to spending quite such long stretches of time on a horse, and he knows his muscles will be sore by the end of the day. The weather is lovely, and the journey would actually be quite pleasant if only they could forget what had brought them here. Yuuri, for one, keeps turning to look behind them, scanning the horizon for any sign that they are being followed.

“I’ve been keeping an eye out too,” Victor says at one point, noticing the way Yuuri keeps looking around them warily. They’ve stopped by a wide stream for a quick lunch break, and Victor is rummaging about in one of the saddle bags. “But I haven’t seen any signs that we are being followed. My guess is that they’ve either given up, or are looking for us on the road. Not many people are familiar with the route through these foothills.”

“But you’ve been this way before, right?” Yuuri asks.

“Yes. It’s the quickest way to get from Erivan to the border with Astera, so I’ve done this trip a few times actually. I wouldn’t recommend it in the winter, but it’s not too bad this time of year if you don’t mind roughing it a bit.”

He hands Yuuri another trail-ration bar, which Yuuri eats with little enthusiasm. He’s thankful that Victor already had a good supply of these in his bags, but they’re not exactly flavorful.

“Speaking of which,” Victor continues, “I have my bow and arrow with me, so I’ll be able to do some hunting once we can make some longer stops. We won’t have to eat these things the  _ entire _ journey.”

“Mmm, fresh meat sounds wonderful,” Yuuri agrees wholeheartedly. “Although... sticking to a diet of these bars would at least help me improve my figure before the wedding,” he adds half-jokingly. Yuuri always tends to get a little plump if he indulges too much and doesn’t exercise enough. 

Victor raises an eyebrow. “Your figure doesn’t look like it needs any improvement to me,” he says. But then his face turns serious. “I was actually thinking about your marriage last night. About whether the attack could have been aimed at stopping it from happening.”

“It would make sense,” Yuuri says, with a sigh. “The Asterans can’t be happy about a new treaty between our kingdoms. Maybe they thought that if they prevented the marriage they could prevent Estemor from allying with Saga.”

“Yes, that’s what I was thinking initially too. But the more I think about it, the more I have to wonder if the Asterans were truly acting alone. I think that to get as far into Estemor as they did, undetected, they would need to have had help.”

“You mean, help from inside Estemor?”

Victor nods. “It’s a distinct possibility. And it’s why I am loath to return us to civilization anytime soon. I don’t know who we can trust. I think you’ll be safest if you just vanish into the wilderness for a little while.”

Victor is probably right, and Yuuri continues to mull over the implications of this while they finish lunch, wondering what on earth he’s gotten himself into.

After they’re done eating, Yuuri takes a few minutes to wash himself a little more thoroughly in the stream. Victor had done the best he could last night, but there is still some dried blood caked in his hair which he scrubs out assiduously. Once it’s gone, however, he doesn’t find that he feels much better. It feels like the alpha’s blood has stained some deeper part of him; a part that will never wash clean. He sits down on the stream bank, arms around his knees, watching the water flow by without really seeing it. It isn’t long before Victor joins him. He sits in silence for a moment, then turns to study Yuuri’s face thoughtfully.

“The first time I killed a man, I was thirteen years old,” Victor says.

Yuuri looks at him in surprise.

“There was a barbarian attack on Belgorod, while I was fostered there. Lord Feltsman would never have sent me to fight at that age, but we were caught by surprise. I had been out riding, and when I got back to the stables, there was a strange man there. He rushed at me, and I barely got my sword up in time.”

Yuuri is silent, trying to imagine having to fight for his life at the age of thirteen.

“I had been training, of course, so in theory I knew what to do to defend myself. But in that moment, it was like all my training just vanished. I was terrified.” Victor’s eyes are focused on the far shore of the stream, and he speaks calmly. “In the end, it was sheer luck that saved me. He pushed me onto my back, and I fell, holding my sword up above me. The man somehow got tripped up on my feet, and wound up impaling himself on my blade. It was as much an accident as anything else, and certainly no great feat of sword-fighting prowess.” Victor is silent for a moment, then continues. “Afterwards, I felt sick for days. I kept thinking about the look on his face when he died.”

Yuuri looks down at his hands. “Does it… get better?” he asks. “Does that feeling go away?”

Victor looks at him with kind eyes. “In my experience... never completely. Killing another person… it changes you. But, the memory won’t always be so immediate. And you must remember that you were defending yourself. You fought valiantly.”

“Valiant” is not a word that Yuuri would have ever thought could apply to himself. “ _ You _ fought valiantly,” he says, changing the subject. “I’d heard the tales, but seeing you fight in person was… impressive.”

Victor shrugs off the compliment. “I’ve unfortunately had a lot of practice. You’ve heard tales about me, huh? Please tell me you’re not referring to that horrible song.”

“Um. Do you mean ‘Heart of Ice’?”

Victor winces. “Oh no, you  _ have _ heard it. So embarrassing… I never should have saved that bard.”

Yuuri blushes. “I thought it was a nice song.” He refrains from mentioning that he’d once memorized all of its verses, several of which are devoted solely to Victor’s beauty.

“Oh, musically it’s not so bad I suppose. But he completely exaggerated parts of it. Let’s get riding again, and I’ll tell you what  _ really _ happened.”

And so they mount up and continue on their journey. As promised, Victor regales Yuuri with the story behind the song ‘Heart of Ice’, in which he had famously saved a small northern town from barbarian raiders. Victor’s telling of the tale involves a lot more digging of fortifications and standing around in the snow than the song version, which focuses mostly on Victor’s duel with the barbarian chieftain and the many broken-hearted omegas he’d left behind in the village afterward.

They continue to talk as they ride, Victor telling Yuuri more about his past. He’d spent the first few years of life with his mother in Erivan, and seems to have very fond memories of her. But she had died when he was just seven, and his father had sent him north to foster with his good friend Lord Yakov Feltsman. Under Lord Feltsman’s guidance, Victor had learned everything there was to learn about sword fighting and soon gained a reputation as a ferocious warrior and valiant knight, despite his bastard status. He’d helped hold back a number of attacks from northern barbarians, and eventually been called back to Erivan by his father. But he never stayed there for long, being sent out again and again to help handle various conflicts within the kingdom or abroad, most notably fighting in several battles with Astera on their southern border. The last of these conflicts was a definitive defeat for the warlike Asterans, who had then turned their gaze towards Saga instead. 

At Victor’s urging, Yuuri tells him about himself as well. He talks about growing up in Saga, how quiet and peaceful it was until the Asterans began encroaching on their borders. He tells Victor about his parents, and his older alpha sister Mari who will inherit the throne. He describes how he had developed an interest in healing, and how his parents had tried to support that interest despite it being a relatively impractical past-time for an omega who’s chief duty in life would be to make a political marriage. All in all, Yuuri’s life story isn’t nearly as exciting as Victor’s, but Victor seems genuinely interested nonetheless.

Eventually it starts to get darker, and they find another spot to make camp for the night, under a stand of trees at the edge of a meadow. As they unpack, Yuuri notes that Victor seems to be favoring his injured shoulder more than he was that morning. Feeling some worry, Yuuri asks to take a look at the wound and they again go through the process of undressing Victor and unwrapping the bandage. What Yuuri then sees disturbs him. Instead of healing properly, the wound is redder than it was before, and the skin around it is slightly swollen. 

“This doesn’t look good,” he says worriedly. “I’ll need to put more ointment on it at the very least.”

“Alright, if you think it’s necessary. It doesn’t feel so bad to me.” Victor sounds unworried, but Yuuri can’t help but notice how he flinches a little when he applies the ointment.

“Tomorrow, are we going to be travelling any closer to those mountains?” Yuuri asks, gesturing towards the west. The mountains aren’t very visible at the moment, being hidden behind the trees, but they’ve been looming steadily larger throughout the day.

“Yes. Why?”

“Because the herb I mentioned, aralium, tends to grow at a slightly higher altitude. If we gain some more elevation, I might be able to find some. It would be much more effective than the supplies we have now.”

“Hm. Well, I suppose we can keep an eye out. But really, I think it will be fine.”

Yuuri is not so sure, but there’s nothing more that he can do at the moment so he drops the subject for now. They eat another tasteless meal of trail-rations, Victor suggesting that perhaps tomorrow they can stop for a bit of hunting. They’re both tired, and still feeling too cautious to risk lighting a fire, so they settle down for the night shortly after it gets dark. Once again, they agree to take turns keeping watch. This time, Victor insists on taking the first shift and Yuuri acquiesces, since he’s feeling quite tired and sore from the day’s ride. 

He sleeps the sleep of the utterly exhausted, and wakes feeling stiff but somewhat rested when Victor rouses him. Victor falls asleep immediately after Yuuri gets up, and Yuuri suspects that he let him sleep longer than he should have. This proves to be true, since Yuuri isn’t on watch for very long before the sky begins to lighten. 

The night is again completely uneventful, and Yuuri finds his thoughts turning to Chiho as he sits in the pre-dawn dark. He wonders what she is doing right now, and how she is feeling. He didn’t know her very well and didn’t always like her, but that doesn’t change the guilt he feels for what happened to her. He hopes that the Asterans decided to hold her for ransom, but he’s not sure how likely that is. As far as he knows, she doesn’t come from a particularly wealthy family. Which means, based on what Victor had said, that she has probably been forced into becoming the wife of one of the Asteran warriors. It sounds horrible; being married to a strange man in a strange land, forced to share his bed and bear his children with no say over any of it. Although as Yuuri thinks this, he realises it’s not so different from what will happen to  _ him _ in about a week. That thought is sobering enough to keep him awake until the sun fully rises.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Yuuri goes to wake Victor shortly after the sun comes up, and is alarmed to see that he looks worse than he did last night. His face is pale, and seems to be tightened in pain, even in sleep. Yuuri hesitates for a moment before gently shaking his shoulder. Unlike the last morning, it takes some time for Victor to wake up and get his bearings. “Mm. Is it morning already?” he asks muzzily.

“Yes, I’m afraid so. You should have woken me earlier in the night so you could sleep more. How are you feeling?”

“I’m alright, just tired.” Victor starts to stretch and then freezes mid-movement, clenching his teeth in pain. “Okay, actually, my shoulder doesn’t feel so great. Would you mind-?”

Yuuri helps him remove his tunic, and carefully unwinds the bandage, then sucks in his breath at the sight.

“That bad, huh?” Victor asks weakly.

“It’s definitely beginning to putrefy. I’ll do what I can for now, but… this isn’t good.” That’s an understatement: the wound is now producing a white pus, and doesn’t smell right. Yuuri tentatively presses his hand against Victor’s forehead, which feels a little too warm. “I think you may be getting a fever. I saw you have willow bark in your medicine kit; I can make you some tea if it gets worse.”

Yuuri re-bandages the wound, and is half inclined to suggest that they stay where they are to let Victor rest more. Victor, however, insists that they should keep on the move and Yuuri ultimately agrees out of the hope that the closer they get to the mountains, the more likely it will be to find the herb he’s now certain he needs. Once they get going, however, their journey proves to be much slower today. Partly this is because the land is becoming more hilly, requiring Victor to navigate carefully and watch Makkachin’s footing, and partly this is because Victor himself still seems groggy and tired. They don’t talk much, leaving Yuuri to stew in his anxiety about Victor’s condition. 

Around mid-day, they arrive at an outcropping of rocks with a bit of an overhang near the top of a hill, and Yuuri suggests that they stop to rest for a minute. When Victor doesn’t immediately respond to his query, Yuuri becomes alarmed.

“Victor?” Yuuri asks, giving him a squeeze.

Victor starts a little. “Hm? Oh, sorry, I guess I drifted off for a moment there. What were you saying?”

“I was saying that I think we should stop here.You need a break, and there’s a rock overhang where we can rest in a bit of shade.”

He half expects Victor to put up a fight, but to his surprise Victor just nods tiredly. More alarmingly, Victor stumbles awkwardly when dismounting from Makkachin, who whickers in concern and gently noses at him. 

“I’m okay, Makka. Just a little dizzy,” Victor says, stroking her nose reassuringly. He seems to be leaning rather heavily against her side, however. 

Yuuri swings down off the horse, and hurries to Victor. “Here, let’s get you laying down,” he says.

Victor lets go of Makkachin and practically falls into Yuuri’s arms, mumbling an apology. Yuuri half-drags him over to a shady spot under the overhang, and helps him sit down. He brings him some water, which Victor sips slowly, and again helps him remove his armor. It goes much more quickly now, Yuuri having begun to learn how everything is strapped on. When he finally uncovers Victor’s wound once more, he has to fight back a wave of panic that threatens to overwhelm him momentarily. Not only has the wound continued to swell and now feels hot to the touch, but there are also the beginnings of red streaks radiating out from it. Yuuri knows this to be a very bad sign indeed; their situation is becoming dire.

“I don’t think there’s any way you can ride further today,” he says to Victor. “We’ll have to make camp here.”

“But it’s only noon,” Victor says blearily.

“I know, but you need to rest. You just practically fell off your horse.”

Victor shivers a little. “I suppose you may be right.” He looks clammy, and Yuuri hastens to unroll the bedroll for him so that he can get comfortable. 

“You should really eat something,” Yuuri suggests.

Victor blanches and shakes his head. “Food is the last thing I feel like now, I’m not sure it would stay down.”

Yuuri frowns, and hands Victor a trail-ration bar anyway. “In case you change your mind,” he says. Victor frowns at it like the bar has personally offended him, but reluctantly accepts it. 

Yuuri takes a minute to assess his options, trying hard not to give in to panic. He’s seen a man die of a wound like this: a soldier that wasn’t brought to the healers in time. Despite their best efforts, the man had sunk into a lethargy from which he could not be awoken. If Victor keeps on as he is, there’s a high probability he will suffer the same fate. Yuuri decides there’s only one course of action to be taken.

He crouches down to look Victor in the eyes. “I’m going to have to leave you here and take Makkachin further up into these hills to look for the herb I need,” he says, trying to sound determined and not as anxious as he feels.

“What? No! You can’t go alone, I need to protect you,” Victor protests.

“Victor, you’re in no shape to protect anyone right now.”  _ Not even yourself _ , Yuuri thinks. He hates to leave Victor alone like this, but he doesn’t see another choice. “Makkachin and I will travel much faster without you, and I doubt I’m going to run into any trouble. I have to get going now, I don’t want to waste any time.” He stands up to leave.

“Wait! At least take my dagger with you,” Victor says, unbuckling a small sheath from his waist. “Just in case. It should be more effective than a hairpin, anyways,” he adds with a small smile.

Yuuri huffs slightly in amusement. “Ok, thank you.” He takes the dagger and its sheath and gingerly belts it around his waist. “I’ll be back before sunset.” 

Victor nods. “You better be, or I’ll come looking for you, injured or not.” 

There’s no way Victor would get more than a few yards in his current state, but Yuuri just nods and hurries to get ready. He removes most of the bags from Makkachin so that she’ll be less burdened, and mounts up. Victor is huddled in on himself, wrapped in the bedroll, eyes closed. Yuuri absolutely hates to ride off and leave him in this state, but he needs to find this herb if he’s going to save his life. Focusing on this thought, he turns Makkachin away from their makeshift camp and sets off.

As he rides, Yuuri takes careful note of the terrain around him and the angle of the sun. The last thing he wants is to get lost out here. Fortunately, the rocky outcropping they’ve stopped by is a rather unique reddish color, which stands out amidst the landscape and should help him find his way back. Aralium tends to grow in open areas at higher elevation, so Yuuri sets his course towards a distant hillside that looks promising. 

His anxiety mounts the farther away he gets from Victor. What if he can’t find any aralium? Maybe it doesn’t grow in this region. Victor might possibly heal from the wound on his own, but Yuuri thinks it unlikely. Or, what if he does find some but it’s too late? Ideally the wound would have been packed with the leaves when it was fresh. Now that it’s begun to fester, Yuuri may have to take more drastic action. The thought of helplessly watching Victor die is unbearable, not to mention the fact that Yuuri would then be stranded in the wilderness alone. He  _ might _ be able to find his way back to the road, but even that unlikely event would hardly guarantee his safety. 

When these thoughts begin to be too much, Yuuri tries his best to focus instead on guiding Makkachin in the right direction and scanning the ground for the telltale white berries and dark green leaves of the plant he’s looking for. He nonetheless finds himself occasionally wiping away tears that he can’t quite hold back. 

It’s late into the afternoon when he finally finds what he’s looking for. Climbing the hill had not been straightforward; there was of course no trail to follow, and Yuuri had found his intended path blocked by a rockfall or ravine multiple times and had to backtrack and try another way. So he feels almost faint with relief when he suddenly catches sight of a large aralium plant growing on an open, sunny hillside amongs various other shrubs and grasses. He immediately slides down off of Makkachin and sets to work gathering as many leaves as he can.

  
  


* * *

  
  


When he returns to the camp, it’s nearly nightfall. Victor is still lying in the bedroll with his eyes closed. His face is pale and sweaty.

“Victor?” Yuuri says.

Victor blinks open his eyes, then smiles sweetly at the sight of Yuuri crouching before him in the dark. “You came back. I was starting to get worried.”

“Well, don’t be. I found what I needed, and I’m going to take care of you,” Yuuri responds, a new determination in his voice. Now that he has the materials he needs, he at least has a clear course of action. It won’t be pleasant, but he’s hellbent on doing everything in his power to save Victor.

“I’m so lucky to have a healer with me,” Victor says. His eyes are glassy, unfocused. “Especially one so beautiful.”

Yuuri blinks in startlement. “Um. Thank you,” he says, caught off-guard. “You might change your mind before I’m through, though,” he adds grimly.

“Well that’s ominous. But it’s alright, I trust you,” Victor mumbles, eyes closing again. “I’m so cold,” he adds, with a full-body shiver.

Yuuri presses his hand to Victor’s forehead, and Victor leans into the touch. His skin is burning up, and the sensation motivates Yuuri to get to work straight away.

The first thing he does is to collect some wood and build a fire, possible pursuers be damned. Once it’s burning brightly, Yuuri removes the dagger Victor had given him and examines it. He’s pleased to see that the edge is quite sharp, and he places the blade in the fire, pommel facing out. Next, he brews some willow bark tea in a small earthenware cup he’d found in one of the saddlebags. After it’s steeped for what he deems a sufficient length of time, he brings it to Victor who grimaces at the astringent taste but dutifully swallows it down. While he’s drinking it, Yuuri mashes the aralium leaves into a paste, forming a poultice. 

Preparations complete, he steels himself and sits next to Victor. “Alright. I’m ready to get started. But Victor…” He takes a deep breath. “I’m going to have to start by cutting out some of the putrid flesh. And I’ll need to cauterize it.”

_ That _ gets Victor’s attention. For the first time since Yuuri’s return, he seems fully aware and focused. His eyes flit towards the dagger in the fire, and he pales. “Is there no other way?” he asks.

“I’m sorry, I wish there were. This is your best hope,” Yuuri says.

Victor visibly steels himself. “Then let’s get it over with,” he says grimly.

Yuuri can’t help but admire his courage. “Alright,” he says. “I think you had better lie down.”

Victor does, positioning part of the bedroll under his head as a pillow. Yuuri helps him remove his tunic and bandage once more. The wound looks, and smells, worse than it did when he left. Victor’s skin glows in the flickering light of the fire. It’s full dark now, but the fire casts enough light that Yuuri should be able to see what he’s doing.

“Here,” Yuuri says, offering Victor his leather belt. “You’ll need something to bite down on.”

Victor raises an eyebrow. “Well, this  _ is  _ getting exciting. Do you want to tie me down, too?” He looks nervous despite his flirtatious tone.

Yuuri blushes, hoping Victor can’t see it in the firelight. “I don’t think that will be necessary, as long as you’ll do your best to hold still. Are you ready?”

Victor’s face grows serious. “As I’ll ever be.” He takes the belt and bites down on it, then lays back, face tense.

Yuuri carefully removes the dagger from the fire, wrapping a cloth around the pommel to protect his hand. He sits at Victor’s shoulder, looking once more at him for confirmation. The trepidation he feels is mirrored back at him in Victor’s eyes, but Victor nods once without hesitation. Taking a deep breath, Yuuri begins.

He’s never actually done this procedure himself, but he  _ has _ seen Minako do it, and he draws on those memories to guide him. In theory, the process is fairly straightforward: one cuts away the worst of the putrid flesh, pressing the red-hot dagger into the wound to cauterize it. The reality, however, is much more difficult. 

Victor is clearly trying his best to hold still, but he can’t entirely stop himself from thrashing in pain when Yuuri first presses the dagger to his flesh. He chokes out a wordless cry, teeth clenched furiously around the leather of his belt. Yuuri tries to work as quickly as possible, but it feels like it takes an eternity. Every muscle in Victor’s body is rigid as he struggles to hold himself still, sweat pouring off of him and tears streaming from his eyes. The noises he makes hardly sound human, even muffled as they are. Yuuri is certain he would be screaming if it were not for the leather between his teeth. Yuuri does his best to block it out, knowing that the most important thing he can do for Victor right now is to get the job done as quickly as humanly possible.

Yuuri is nearly done when Victor suddenly quiets and goes limp, and Yuuri realizes he must have fallen unconscious from the pain. Although this is horrifying in its own way, it makes it easier for Yuuri to finish the job. He works faster now, cauterizing the last of the oozing flesh and then hurriedly applying the poultice and a new bandage. As he ties off the bandage his heart is racing and his hands are shaking, but it’s done. 

Victor, however, remains inert. He’s breathing, but shallowly and somewhat haltingly. Yuuri tries to think desperately if there is anything else he can do; he does  _ not _ want to lose him like this. Suddenly, something Minako had once told him pops into his head.

“If an alpha is in a bad spot, one of the most straightforward ways to speed their healing is for an omega to scent them,” she had said. 

Yuuri had been shocked, having never heard of such a thing. “I know, it sounds quite scandalous, but I’ve seen it work wonders,” she had continued. “It’s best to have a mate scent them of course, but any omega scent will help in a pinch. The same principle works in reverse, if the patient is an omega.”

With this memory in mind, Yuuri decides to do something that would be wholly and completely inappropriate in any other circumstance. He’s not sure if it will help, but he has to  _ try.  _

Gingerly, so as not to jostle and hurt him, he lies down next to Victor so that their bodies are just touching. Then he raises his wrist and carefully rubs it over Victor’s cheek, neck, and chest, pressing his scent gland against Victor’s heated flesh. For a moment nothing happens, but then to his immense relief Victor stirs slightly and moans. Seemingly on instinct, Victor turns his face towards Yuuri and snuggles in against his neck, taking deep breaths of Yuuri’s scent. He’s trembling, so Yuuri pulls up the blanket over both of them. He wraps his arms around Victor and holds him until his shivering subsides. 

He believes Victor to be asleep, or semi-conscious at best, so he’s surprised when Victor whispers against his neck, “Yuuri?”

“Yes?”

“Let’s never do that again.”

Yuuri laughs in relief at hearing him speak. “Definitely,” he agrees. “Now, you should try to rest.” 

“Alright,” Victor says sleepily. “As long as you’ll stay with me.”

Yuuri feels something in his chest hitch. “Of course I will,” he says. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


They sleep in each other’s arms throughout the night. It’s not particularly restful, however. Victor alternates between sleeping like the dead, sudden bouts of restless thrashing and moaning, and attacks of violent shivers. Yuuri drifts in and out of consciousness, and eventually has to get up to relieve his aching bladder sometime in the middle of the night. Although he does his best to get up soundlessly, Victor whimpers as he leaves and reaches out to the empty space where Yuuri had been. 

When Yuuri returns, Victor’s eyes are open and watching him, though his expression is hazy. “You’re back,” Victor says with relief. “I thought you’d left me.”

“No, no, I’m here. I’m not going to leave you.” Yuuri reaches out to brush Victor’s damp hair out of his eyes.

Victor leans into the touch, closing his eyes and scenting at Yuuri’s wrist. “Yes, you are,” he says sadly. “You are going to leave. You’re going to marry my brother, and I’ll never hold you again.” 

Yuuri sucks in a surprised breath. “Victor, I-”

“Don’t do it, Yuuri,” Victor implores, eyes still closed. “Don’t marry him.” 

The words are mumbled, barely audible. Yuuri hasn’t the faintest idea what to say in response, but Victor doesn’t seem to expect an answer. In fact, he hardly seems aware of what he’s saying and certainly doesn’t see the effect his words have on Yuuri. Victor reaches out for him blindly, and Yuuri goes to him as if drawn by a magnet, slipping back under the blanket and slotting their bodies together once more. He snuggles against Victor’s warmth, taking in deep lungfuls of his scent, and tries to calm his racing heart. Victor doesn’t say anything else, and eventually Yuuri succumbs to his exhaustion and joins him in sleep.

The morning dawns cool and foggy, and Yuuri is roused into semi-consciousness by the sound of birdsong and the pale light of the sun creeping across the ground. There’s a warm, comforting weight against his back and an arm wrapped around his chest. All around him is the scent of alpha, and he basks in its soothing aura. A small corner of his mind recognizes that to wake fully will be to break this dreamlike spell, and so he simply lets himself drift. 

After a time, the body behind him begins to stir, and he hears an inhale of breath at his ear. A mouth presses against his neck, tracing the edge of his scent gland, and Yuuri is hit by a sudden wave of such intense arousal that he is jolted awake. He comes suddenly to his senses, remembering exactly who is embracing him. Yuuri freezes at almost the same instant that he feels Victor go tense behind him and then pull away. Yuuri sits up and turns around to see Victor staring at him wide-eyed. 

“I’m so sorry!” Victor says. “I was half asleep, I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s alright!” Yuuri says over him. “It’s… it’s fine!”

There’s an awkward pause as they both try to collect themselves and avoid making eye contact.

“How are you feeling?” Yuuri eventually asks.

Victor thinks for a moment, as if taking stock. “Better,” he says. “Don’t get me wrong, my shoulder still hurts like hell. But it’s already an improvement over yesterday, and my head feels clearer too.”

Yuuri touches his forehead. “That’s because your fever’s broken,” he says with relief. “Which is a very good sign.” 

Victor smiles at him. “All thanks to you. I suppose you’ll want to check your handiwork?”

Yuuri nods, and together they pull back the bandage. Somehow, being close to Victor’s naked torso is awkward now in a way it wasn’t previously. Yuuri focuses his attention on the wound, and hopes that his scent isn’t broadcasting his lingering arousal in too obvious of a manner. From the way that Victor looks at him, and then looks away, he fears that it is.

But to his delight, the wound  _ does _ look better. It’s no longer hot to the touch, and the red streaks around it are fading. Yuuri thinks it’s likely that it will fully heal now as long as they keep applying the aralium paste, and tells Victor as much.

Victor sighs in relief. “As long as we don’t have to repeat last night’s treatment. That was... “ he shakes his head wordlessly and shudders. “But I’m so very grateful to you. You’re truly remarkable, Yuuri. I don’t doubt that you saved my life.” 

Yuuri blushes. “Consider it a debt repaid, then, since you saved mine during the attack.”

“You helped save your own life, but… alright, if you say so.”

They share a quiet smile, and Yuuri tries desperately to ignore the fluttering sensation in his chest. 

His thoughts are a confusing turmoil. On the one hand, he’s incredibly grateful and happy to see that Victor is on the mend. On the other, however, a new sense of disquiet is growing in him. There’s no hope of denying it to himself any longer: he’s terribly attracted to Victor. And what’s more, he’s growing increasingly and undeniably fond of him as well. Not only is Victor beautiful, but he’s kind and brave and thinks Yuuri is “remarkable”. And then there were his fevered words in the middle of the night. 

_ Don’t marry him. _

Yuuri finds himself desperately wishing that he didn’t have to. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm celardor12 on tumble and twitter. Comments are very much appreciated :)


	4. Chapter 4

Yuuri tells Victor in no uncertain terms that there will be no more traveling for at least a day, perhaps two. Victor reluctantly agrees to this, admitting that he doesn’t feel well enough to do much more than rest anyhow. As they nibble on more of the increasingly unpalatable trail-rations for breakfast, Yuuri decides that he needs to address some of the lingering awkwardness.

“I feel I must apologize for last night,” he starts.

“What, for causing me to faint? I told you, however unpleasant it was, I think it was necessary,” Victor says.

“No, not that. I meant… I’m sorry I scented you, while you were unconscious. I’ve heard it can help with healing, but I know it was extremely forward of me.” 

“Oh, that! You have nothing to apologize for. It was the only thing that made the pain afterward bearable.” To Yuuri’s surprise, Victor appears to be blushing every so slightly. “Your scent is… beautiful. It seemed to be a very effective treatment.”

“Oh. Well, that’s good then,” Yuuri responds awkwardly. At least Victor doesn’t seem displeased by it, or shocked at Yuuri’s behavior. He also doesn’t seem to have any memory of telling Yuuri not to marry Deveran. Yuuri decides that now is not the time to bring up that particular topic, and changes the subject. “I was thinking, since we’re not traveling today, that I might scout around a bit and see if I can find any wild plants to forage.”

Victor looks like he might protest, so Yuuri hastily adds, “I won’t go far! I also found a nearby stream while I was out yesterday, and Makkachin will need water.”

“Ah, that’s true. Poor Makka,” Victor says, looking over at her. “She will probably appreciate a little break today too. And I _am_ getting very tired of eating only these bars,” he adds, looking at his with displeasure.

With that decided, Yuuri finishes eating and saddles up Makkachin while Victor lays down to rest some more. Yuuri is soon ready, and sets off in the direction of a stream he’d seen yesterday. It’s not difficult to find again, and he lets Makkachin drink her fill. He then turns her loose to graze while he sets to work washing out his blood-stained clothing. He’d found a bar of soap in Victor’s bags, and is pleased to see that it removes some of the worst of the staining on the silk. The clothes will never be suitable for polite company again, but at least he’ll be able to wear them on the warmer days while they travel. 

While the clothes lay drying in the warm sun, Yuuri strips naked and gives himself a thorough wash in the stream as well. The cold bite of the water is refreshing, and afterward he feels some of his composure returning. Having no cloth to dry off with, he simply lies naked in the grass for a few minutes, letting the sun soak into his skin. It’s a lovely warm day at the tail end of summer, and Yuuri allows himself a moment to simply relax after all the drama of the last few days.

As he lays there looking up at the wisps of clouds above, he finds himself experiencing a new sensation; one which he eventually realizes is the heady taste of freedom. His entire life, he’s lived in a castle, restricted by the obligations of his role as an omega prince. Now, out here in the wilderness with no chaperones or onlookers except for Victor, he feels for the first time in his life as though he can do whatever he wants. He knows it’s an illusion, of course. He’s still bound by his duty and the shackles of his marriage await. But he nonetheless allows himself to savor the new feeling, fleeting as it might be.

Inevitably, he finds his thoughts turning towards Victor. Is his attraction to him merely because he’s never spent so much time alone with an alpha before, especially in such intimate circumstances? Or is it some sort of reaction to the danger they’ve survived together? He supposes that either of these factors could play a role, but he can’t help but feel that he would have been drawn to Victor regardless of the circumstances in which they met. Yuuri feels a pull towards him that he simply can’t deny. Having spent the night in his arms once, Yuuri is now consumed by a desire for _more_. He wants to get to know him better, and he also wants him physically in a way he’s never felt before. What’s more, he’s fairly certain that the attraction is mutual. After all, Victor had kissed his neck this morning while half-asleep. Yuuri had been able to smell Victor’s arousal, just as Victor had surely smelled his. 

Yuuri shivers as a cool breeze plays over his naked skin. Just for a moment, he allows himself to imagine that he isn’t promised to another. Were that the case, Yuuri thinks, he would ride back to camp, fling himself into Victor’s arms, and beg the alpha to take him. Or, well, perhaps he would wait until Victor had recovered a bit more from his injury. But either way, he finds himself imagining what it would be like to make love with Victor. In all honesty, he’s not sure exactly what to picture. He understands the basic mechanics of mating, but that’s about it. He’s been kept relatively naive about such things, as befits an unmated omega of his rank.

Would Victor be gentle and tender? Or would he hold him down roughly as he took his pleasure? Yuuri closes his eyes, picturing Victor’s body moving over him. Arousal pools low in his belly, and he feels himself starting to get slick. With a little moan, he gives in to the sensation and reaches between his legs, taking his cock in hand as he hardens. He begins to stroke himself, imagining that the hand is Victor’s. Finally giving in to his pent-up feelings, he finds himself on the verge of climax surprisingly quickly. He thinks of Victor’s scent, of his arms around Yuuri, of the feel of his lips on his neck. With his other hand, he reaches lower, pushing into his slick opening. What would Victor’s cock feel like? He stretches his fingers, imagining the sensation of a knot spreading him open, and comes in a rush of toe-curling pleasure.

As his breaths slow, he finds a small knot of anger beginning to form in his chest. It’s terribly unfair that he has no say in the matter of whom he shares his body with. _I hate this.The choice ought to be my own_ , he thinks. 

And then a small voice in the back of his head whispers: _Maybe it could be. After all, if something were to happen between you and Victor out here, who would know? You’re not married yet._

He tries to push that voice away as he redresses and begins to make his way back to their camp, but finds he is unable to silence it completely.

  
  


* * *

  
  


On his way back, he spends some time searching for any edible plants that they might use to supplement their rather sad rations. A knowledge of which wild plants are edible is not typically common for someone of his station, but he has picked up a decent amount of botanical knowledge over the years through his studies with Minako. He is pleased to discover a large thicket of sweet berries, as well as a patch of mandichoke plants, whose leaves and tubers are both edible if cooked. He collects as much as he can, and makes his way back to the outcropping where he unloads Makkachin and shows Victor his finds. 

“I was thinking I might cook the mandichokes. I suppose it would be too much to hope that you have some spices hidden away somewhere in your bags?” he asks.

“Actually, I do. I have a little packet somewhere-” Victor sits up as if to start looking for it, and his face tightens suddenly with pain.

“Wait, wait, I’ll get it,” Yuuri says. “Are you alright?”

Victor grimaces. “Honestly? The pain has gotten worse again since this morning. I’m not sure why.”

He’s still shirtless, so it’s easy for Yuuri to come take another look at the wound. To his relief, it doesn’t appear any different. He wonders why Victor’s pain has worsened, and then an obvious idea occurs to him. He looks up at Victor hesitantly. “Your wound looks fine. I think maybe… it’s because I haven’t been here to scent you?”

“Ah. I suppose that could be it. Well, it’s not a matter of life or death anymore, so if you aren’t comfortable-”

“No, I don’t mind! I’m… I’m happy to do it again, if you think it would help,” Yuuri insists. In fact, he finds himself quite eager to do so. Internally, he questions whether his offer is truly altruistic or whether he is in fact being selfish. 

“Thank you, I believe it would,” Victor says gratefully.

Yuuri nods, and tries to maintain an air of professional detachment, as if this were any other routine medical procedure. The illusion is shattered almost as soon as he begins, however. This time, with Victor fully conscious and closely watching him, the act is completely different from last night. They both gasp slightly as Yuuri touches the scent gland at his wrist to the one on Victor’s neck. Victor sighs in relief, however, and Yuuri is amazed to see the pained expression on his face fade away almost immediately. He meets Yuuri’s gaze and holds it, both of them breathing deeply as their scents intermingle. 

For a long moment, neither of them moves. Victor’s gaze momentarily flits down to Yuuri’s mouth, and Yuuri yearns to lean forward and close the distance between them. He feels like he is standing on the edge of a precipice: one more step forward will send him plummeting. 

But then Victor sighs, and pulls away. “That really does feel much better,” he says. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Yuuri says, trying to collect himself. “Um. You said you had some spices?”

“Yes, it’s in a small packet in that bag over there,” Victor says, pointing. “I always buy some whenever I’ve been down south, to take back with me.”

Yuuri finds the packet, and opens it. A rich, smoky aroma fills his nostrils. “What is this?” he asks. “I don’t think I’ve ever had it before.”

“It’s a spice mix called zatal. It was my mother’s favorite flavor. Every time I smell it, I think of her,” Victor says quietly.

Yuuri looks over at him. “May I ask… how she died?” 

“The red fever took her,” Victor says, looking into the distance. “It seemed as though half the city were sickened that fall, but her case was worse than most. After she died, my father was never the same. I think he truly loved her, even though she was only a courtesan.”

“I’m so sorry, Victor. I can’t imagine how horrible that must have been for you.” At least Yuuri’s parents are still alive, even if he may not see them often again.

“It was… a difficult time for me. After she passed, Queen Alisa insisted my father send me away. She was always jealous of my mother, I think, and hated having me around as a reminder of her.”

“Your father’s marriage to Queen Alisa was a political match, right?”

“Yes. He married her when I was three, and Deveran was born a year later. As far as I know, my father was always faithful to the Queen. I believe he and my mother ended their affair when he married, even though it broke their hearts to do so.” He glances at Yuuri, then looks away. “Queen Alisa passed some of her resentment for me onto Deveran, however. We’ve never particularly gotten along.”

“Oh. That… must be hard,” Yuuri offers. “I guess I’m lucky; my sister has always supported me.”

Victor shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Yuuri, you probably don’t want to hear all this. I shouldn’t prejudice you against my brother before you even meet him.”

“Actually, I appreciate you being honest with me,” Yuuri says, meaning it. He’d rather know what he’s getting into than walk into this marriage blind. “I hope you always will be.”

Victor smiles at him, a bit sadly. “Honesty, hm?” he says. “Alright, it’s a promise.”

At Victor’s suggestion, Yuuri cooks the mandichoke leaves and tubers in the zatal spice mix. The flavor is smoky and subtly spicy, and he finds he quite likes it. Along with the berries he’d picked, their meal that evening is a welcome break from the dry and chewy trail-ration bars. They sit shoulder-to-shoulder by the fire, chatting companionably. Yuuri notices that his presence does indeed seem to help keep the worst of Victor’s pain at bay, which provides an excellent excuse for him to stay close.

Eventually they are both tired and ready to turn in, but this of course raises the awkward question of sleeping arrangements. It no longer feels necessary for one of them to stay up keeping watch, but they only have the one bedroll. There’s an extra blanket as well, but it’s not enough to keep one of them warm all night on its own. When Victor sees Yuuri eyeing the bedroll, he smiles ruefully.

“I’m afraid we’ll have to share again, if that’s alright with you? I suppose I ought to do the chivalrous thing and offer to sleep on the bare ground, but I dread the thought of how my shoulder would feel after.”

“No, no, that’s not necessary. We can share. It’s probably better if you can smell my scent during the night anyways. Um… medically speaking.” Yuuri tries very hard not to blush. 

“Right. Well, that’s settled then. Shall we…?” Victor lays down carefully in the bedroll, leaving a space for Yuuri to join him.

Heart beating harder than is really warranted, Yuuri lays down beside him with his back to Victor’s front, and pulls the blankets up over them both. He half wishes that Victor would put his arms around him, but Victor leaves a small sliver of space between their two bodies. Nonetheless, Yuuri finds himself comforted by his proximity and scent. As he drifts off, he thinks to himself that although his feelings for Victor may be inappropriate, lying next to him like this simply feels... right.

  
  


* * *

  
  


When Yuuri wakes, the first thing he notices is that he is warm. Victor is pressed against his back, the chivalrous inch of space he’d left between them vanished somewhere during the night. And just like the last morning, Victor has flung an arm over Yuuri possessively. For a moment, Yuuri simply lies there, trying to stay still so as not to wake Victor and ruin the moment. Then, he notices two things simultaneously. The first is that there is a sweet scent on the air that hadn’t been there last night. And the second, is that Victor is hard. Yuuri squirms inadvertently; he can feel every inch of Victor’s cock pressed against his ass through the thin layers of their breeches. As this realization hits, the sweet scent in the air seems to intensify and Victor stirs against him. That’s when it dawns on Yuuri what exactly is happening.

Victor wakes in response to Yuuri’s movements. He must come to the same realization as Yuuri, because he suddenly sits up and looks down at Yuuri in wide-eyed shock. “You’re going into heat,” he says. It’s a statement, not a question.

“Ah. Yes, yes I am,” Yuuri says in bewilderment and rising panic. This should _not_ be happening right now. But the signs are unmistakable; the sweet scent is coming from him. 

Victor immediately backs off, putting more space between them. “Shit,” he says succinctly.

“Oh gods, I’m so sorry!” Yuuri stammers. “I don’t know why this is happening! I’m not supposed to have a heat until… until after the wedding.” He’d purposely timed it that way; this is much too early. He thinks frantically, trying to figure out why this is happening now. “The presence of my new mate was supposed to help trigger it. I guess maybe… because I had been scenting you...that you triggered it instead?” The implication being, of course, that Yuuri’s body has decided that _Victor_ should be his mate. 

Victor blinks. “... okay. That could explain it. You know a lot about healing… is there anything you could take to stop it?”

“No, nothing that we have with us.” Something occurs to Yuuri and he laughs a little manically. “Actually, a high enough dose of willow bark could hold it off temporarily. But it wouldn’t help for long, and anyway I used all of that-”

“To treat my fever. Right.” Victor runs a hand through his hair distractedly. “Alright then, let’s think. We need to get you somewhere safe. How long do you think until you’re in full heat?”

Yuuri considers for a moment. His scent has only just begun to change, so they should have a little time, but not much. “It probably won’t start properly until tomorrow, or this evening at the earliest,” he guesses.

“Alright, good. So we have time to travel for a few hours. I know a place that should be ideal. Well, as ideal as one could hope for given the circumstances. It’s not far from here at all; in fact, I was hoping to make it there the day before yesterday, before I got too sick to ride any further. We should be able to reach it this afternoon if we leave now.”

“Alright,” Yuuri says hesitantly, trying not to think yet about what they’ll do _after_ they arrive. “But, are you sure you’re ready to ride again? What about your shoulder?”

“I’ll be fine,” Victor says. “I’m more worried about getting you somewhere that you’ll feel safe and not so exposed. The place I’m thinking of is a cave, by a stream down in a valley. It will be a good spot to stay for a few days, and you should be comfortable nesting there.”

“That… sounds good,” Yuuri agrees. He hates the idea of going into heat out in the open where they are now, so finding a den somewhere is appealing. “You seem to know what’s needed for an omega in heat,” he adds. 

Victor looks at him, then turns away again somewhat awkwardly. “I once spent a heat with an omega. So, I have some idea what it’s like.”

“Oh.” Yuuri is briefly assaulted by the vivid mental image of Victor entwined with another’s body. He tries very hard not to feel jealous of that other omega, and fails utterly. He feels much too awkward to ask Victor anything more about it, however.

It’s clear that they need to get underway as quickly as possible, so they waste no time in packing up. Victor is efficient, polite, and clearly attempting to maintain some physical distance between the two of them, which Yuuri can’t help but resent. There’s no avoiding contact once they mount up on Makkachin, however, and Yuuri is selfishly glad for the excuse to put his arms around Victor to hold on. 

They ride for most of the morning and part of the afternoon, making only a couple brief stops. Yuuri holds tight to Victor, and lets his soothing alpha scent wash over him. His own scent becomes stronger throughout the day, but his mind remains clear for now. It feels like his heat is coming on quickly, however, and he suspects he’ll be in full heat by nightfall. As they ride, Yuuri tries to think about what he should say to Victor once they arrive. Should he tell Victor to keep away? Or...not? Yuuri knows what he _wants_ , but he’s not sure what’s right.

By midafternoon, they crest a hill and find themselves looking down into a green forested valley. The air seems to get warmer as they descend down into it, although that might merely be Yuuri’s heat coming on more strongly. After riding under the trees for a bit, they soon come upon a wide stream. Victor seems pleased to find it, and says that they’re nearly at their destination. Makkachin dutifully carries them across the water at Victor’s urging, and they turn to follow its course upstream. Before long, Yuuri can hear the rushing sound of a waterfall, and then they come around a bend in the stream and see the place Victor has been looking for. 

As they dismount and begin to unload Makkachin, Victor explains to Yuuri that he’d come across this spot by chance during his travels. It’s quite lovely. A small waterfall tumbles over a rocky ledge, falling into a shallow pool at its base. Trees grow tall on either side, casting cool shadows. Victor leads Yuuri up near the base of the waterfall, where there is a small cave entrance, almost hidden behind some boulders. It would be large enough for Makkachin to enter if need be, but she seems content to remain outside, grazing on grass near the water’s edge. Inside, the cave is surprisingly large. Moss grows on a number of ledges, and the floor of the cave is sandy and dry. With a fire going, Yuuri imagines it will be quite cozy. He feels immensely grateful for their good fortune to have been so near this place when his heat struck.

Victor is still keeping his distance from Yuuri, and avoiding eye contact. “I’ll let you get settled,” he says. “I’m going to go out into the forest and set a few traps. I’d like to be able to supplement our food with some meat; I think you’ll need the energy. Normally I’d hunt, but I’m not sure when I’ll be able to use my bow again, with my shoulder the way it is. Will you be alright on your own for a couple of hours?”

“Yes, I’ll be okay.” Yuuri is looking forward to a chance to rest, and can feel the irresistible urge to start nesting. Once Victor leaves, he goes ahead and gives into it.

There’s not much in the way of materials to construct a nest, of course. Back home, he’d had his pick of fine blankets and silk pillows, arranged exactly to his liking in the royal nesting chamber. Here, he is reduced to the bedroll, an extra blanket, and a few pieces of clothing. He arranges these into a small semblance of a nest, to the best of his abilities. Pretty much everything carries some amount of Victor’s scent, which Yuuri finds pleasing in the extreme. As he works, he thinks over the situation; he knows he needs to make a decision now, while his mind is still clear.

His attraction to Victor is obvious, and all of his instincts are clamoring for him to beg Victor to mate him. If the situation were simpler, that is exactly what he would do, and without reservation. However, he has to consider the future. His marriage, however much he dreads it, is inescapable. Prince Deveran will soon be his husband, and Yuuri will be expected to be faithful to him. If he and Victor were to have an affair now, it would by necessity be fleeting and likely only end in pain. 

And yet… what if this is his one chance at true happiness, however brief? Should he deny himself that in order to prevent future sorrow? Perhaps this is a gift: the one time in his life he can make a real choice for himself. If his marriage to Deveran is unenjoyable, then this might be his last chance to create a few happy memories to keep him warm in the long lonely years ahead. The last item that Yuuri adds to his nest is Victor’s cloak. He holds it to his face and inhales deeply, letting Victor’s scent permeate his senses.

By the time Victor returns, Yuuri’s made his choice.

Yuuri hears the sound of Victor puttering about outside, talking to Makkachin and rearranging some of their belongings. He disentangles himself from his small nest, and walks out to meet him. Victor looks up at his approach, and Yuuri finds himself momentarily lost in the blue depths of his eyes. He once more experiences the sensation of standing at the edge of a precipice, looking down into a vast and unknown abyss. But now that he’s made his decision, he feels oddly calm. Yuuri takes a deep breath, and steps over the edge.

“Victor, I want to share my heat with you.”

Victor looks, momentarily, as though he’s been hit over the head. “I… that’s… no, no, you can’t mean that,” he says.

“Yes, I can. I do. Do you have any idea how miserable an unpartnered heat is, for an omega?”

“I know it’s difficult, but-”

“It’s practically torture,” Yuuri says flatly. “Most omegas, myself included, take some sort of drug to make it bearable. But I don’t have anything like that here.”

Victor looks pained. “I would hate to see you suffer, Yuuri. But if I… did what you are asking of me… the consequences could be devastating. I won’t risk fathering another bastard.”

“Oh, we wouldn’t be risking _that_ ,” Yuuri quickly reassures him. “Before the attack, I’d been taking an herb that prevents pregnancy. Even though I’ve had to stop taking it now, it will still be a month or more before I’m fertile again.”

Victor looks surprised at that. “But… you’re about to get married, why would you-?”

“Be preventing pregnancy? Because I don’t _want_ to get pregnant immediately. Can you blame me for wanting a month or two to settle into my new home first? The herb doesn’t prevent heats, so no one would have to know I was taking it.” Yuuri doesn’t feel in the least bit guilty for this; let Deveran wait a couple of months. He’ll get his heirs from Yuuri eventually. “Trust me, I’ve thought about this,” he says. “I _want_ this.”

“Are you sure about that?” Victor asks, frustration leaking into his voice. “You’re inexperienced, I’m guessing this is the first you’ve ever spent so much time alone with an alpha-”

“So? Does that mean I don’t know my own mind? I may be a virgin, but I know what I want. I know _who_ I want,” Yuuri says determinedly. “And I know you want me too,” he adds, staring boldly into Victor’s eyes.

“I… dammit, no… I don’t-”

“You promised to always be honest with me.”

There is a moment of silence, wherein a multitude of different emotions chase themselves across Victor’s face, too quickly for Yuuri to catalogue them all.

“Alright, yes,” Victor finally says, throwing his hands up. He looks directly into Yuuri’s eyes, with such heat that Yuuri feels his knees weaken. “Yes, of course I want you. I want nothing more than to take you back into that cave and fuck you until you can’t walk.”

Yuuri’s breath catches. He’s momentarily overcome with a wave of desire that swamps all other thought.

“But if we do that… Yuuri, if we do that, it’s _treason_ ,” Victor continues. “Even if you can’t get pregnant.”

Yuuri lifts his chin defiantly, returning Victor’s stare. “Then so be it. If I have to live the rest of my life in a gilded cage, and submit to my husband and do my _duty_ , then let me at least have this first. Let me have this one thing that’s just for me. Not for my parents, or my Kingdom, or my people… one thing that is purely what _I_ want. And what I want is _you_.”

Victor seems at a loss for words. 

“I understand if you need some time to think about it,” Yuuri says. “It’s your choice too, of course. But you know how I feel.” He reaches out, and gently lays a hand on Victor’s cheek. “I’m going to go back to my nest now. In a few hours I’ll be in heat. I hope you’ll come join me.” And with that, he turns and walks into the cave. 

He looks back once, before he disappears behind the boulders. Victor is still standing where he left him, his hand on his cheek where Yuuri had touched him. The look on his face is deeply conflicted. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


Two hours later, Yuuri’s heat blooms into full force like the sudden onset of a storm. It begins as a tingling sensation as energy dances down his spine and creeping fingers of arousal spread across his body. No matter how he lays in the small nest, he can’t seem to get comfortable. Every time he tries to lie down he feels a need to rearrange himself, overcome with restless movement. His skin is warm, as though he were wrapped in a layer of blankets. He lets down his hair, and knows that soon he will feel compelled to remove all of his clothing. 

It’s been a _long_ time since Yuuri’s had a full unmedicated heat. Minako had always prepared a special mix of herbs for him, which dulled the sensations and made him sleepy. He’d forgotten what it feels like without the medication, how he becomes so raw and vulnerable and desperate. It’s not long before he’s hard, and the scent of his slick thickens the air. His arousal is intense, but he holds back from touching himself a little longer… waiting.

Yuuri is curled in on himself, thighs clenched and trembling, wrapped naked in Victor’s cloak, when he finally hears a footfall behind him. He smells Victor’s unmistakable scent and sits up, the cloak falling off his shoulder to reveal the expanse of his flushed chest. Victor stands before him, eyes briefly roving over Yuuri’s body before meeting his gaze.

“Is that a yes?” Yuuri asks.

Victor hesitates for a bare moment. “Yes.” 

Then he pounces.

Their mouths meet in a collision that is nearly violent, as they reach for each other simultaneously. Victor drops to his knees, pulling Yuuri into his lap. He smells like heaven; like everything Yuuri’s ever wanted. It’s such a relief to finally be held in his arms, to taste his lips and breathe in lungfuls of his scent, that Yuuri finds himself crying. Victor wipes at his tears tenderly, covering his mouth in soft kisses. “Shh, it’s alright. I’m here now,” he murmurs against Yuuri’s lips.

Yuuri returns his kisses with passion, if not expertise. He revels in being able to touch Victor in all the ways in which he has been longing to; running his hands over the expanse of his shoulders, carding them through his hair, and stroking over the scent gland on his neck. Victor slides his hand down the curve of Yuuri’s spine, long fingers tracing the cleft of Yuuri’s ass. He groans when he feels the slick gathering there, and pulls Yuuri closer to him. His touches make Yuuri feel completely wanton, wild with need. Moving to straddle Victor’s lap, he grinds down against the hardness he feels there, pure instinct and animal need overcoming his embarrassment at being so naked and exposed. Victor mouths a trail of kisses down Yuuri’s neck, licking and nipping gently at his scent gland and drawing a long moan and full-body shudder out of Yuuri. 

Victor’s roving hands seem determined to map out every inch of Yuuri’s skin, and Yuuri wants to be able to do the same. He tugs at Victor’s tunic, and together he and Victor pull it over Victor’s head. Yuuri suddenly catches sight of Victor’s bandage, and pauses. 

“Wait, will your shoulder be alright? I don’t want to injure you further.”

Victor chuckles, and runs a hand fondly through Yuuri’s long hair. “Ever the concerned healer, even while you’re in heat. I’ll be fine, so long as you don’t expect me to perform any particularly acrobatic moves.”

Yuuri only has a moment to wonder what type of mating could be considered “acrobatic”, before Victor puts his mouth on him again and all rational thought flees his mind once more. 

For a time, Victor seems content just to kiss him, but Yuuri quickly grows impatient as his instincts clamor for more. Victor must sense his mounting desire and frustration, because he eventually pushes him gently down onto his back, covering him with the weight of his body. Yuuri gasps as Victor’s hardness is pressed against his own, and reaches up to trace the outline of Victor’s cock through his pants. Victor inhales sharply and Yuuri, feeling emboldened, unfastens the ties of his breeches. As Victor’s cock is freed, Yuuri pauses to take in the sight.

He _has_ seen a few alphas naked before in the infirmary, but never like this. Victor is… intimidatingly large, and Yuuri runs his hand over his length experimentally. He feels simultaneously overwhelmed with desire and unsure on how to proceed from here. Fortunately, Victor seems content to take the lead, gently placing his hand over Yuuri’s and guiding him through a few strokes. Both of their breaths are coming increasingly quickly, and Yuuri feels his opening getting wetter and wetter with slick, fluttering with anticipation as he imagines what it will feel like to have Victor inside him.

Soon, Victor pulls back to remove his breeches entirely. Yuuri feels momentarily bereft at the loss of his touch, but is immediately rewarded when Victor returns to press the entire length of his naked body against Yuuri’s. Yuuri wraps his arms around him and draws his knees up, giving Victor simultaneous access and permission. Despite his desperate yearning, he can’t help but tense up as he braces himself for the pain he has been told typically accompanies one’s first mating.

To his surprise, however, Victor does not move to enter him right away, instead running a hand down Yuuri’s side and trailing a series of kisses down his chest and across his belly. Yuuri, in some confusion, gives Victor’s hair a gentle tug to get his attention.

“Aren’t you… going to mate me?” he asks, feeling rather foolish.

Victor smiles up at him. “Oh, I absolutely am. But I want to do something else first.”

“What do you-” Yuuri cuts off mid sentence as Victor suddenly sucks him down, enveloping his cock in the warm, wet heat of his mouth.

Yuuri groans, hips twitching involuntarily as Victor bobs up and down, tongue caressing Yuuri’s cock with sinful precision. As an omega, Yuuri is significantly smaller than Victor, who wraps his mouth around him with ease. The pleasure is exquisite, yet still Yuuri finds himself aching for something more. That desire is soon fulfilled, when Victor reaches back to run a finger around his opening. Yuuri is so wet that he gains entrance easily, and a second finger slides in readily after the first. Yuuri has of course never had anyone’s fingers there but his own, and he delights in the novel feeling of being filled, moaning as Victor begins to gently thrust his fingers in and out.

“Ah! Victor, I’m ready-” Yuuri gasps, writhing under Victor’s ministrations.

Victor momentarily takes his mouth off of him. “Patience, my love. I want you to be nice and relaxed for me. Let’s take the edge off a little, hm?”

Yuuri’s frustrated groan morphs into a cry of pleasure as Victor puts his mouth back on him, while crooking his fingers up to rub against a place inside Yuuri that makes him see stars. The doubled pleasure of Victor’s hand and mouth is completely overwhelming, and as Victor presses against that spot again and again Yuuri succumbs to the inevitable wave of bliss as his first orgasm shoots through him. 

Victor swallows him down, then gently removes his slick-coated fingers as Yuuri trembles with the aftershocks. He crawls up Yuuri’s body, looking very pleased with himself, and lays down next to him. Yuuri rolls toward him, snuggling into his shoulder and entangling their legs. 

“That was… amazing.”

“Glad to hear it. I thought it might help to ease you into this a little, since I understand this is all new to you?”

“Yes, it is. Not that I’ve never experienced pleasure, of course. But… not with another person, no.”

“Then I’m honored to be chosen as your first. I hope I can make the experience enjoyable.”

Yuuri looks coyly up at him. “If the beginning is any indication, I don’t think you should have any worries on that account.”

Victor laughs. “Good.” He leans down and kisses Yuuri, slowly and thoroughly. Yuuri returns the kiss, taking the time to explore the feeling of Victor’s lips and tongue, losing himself in the sensation. For a time, they just lay there like that, exchanging languid kisses and exploratory touches. Yuuri runs his hands up and down the length of Victor’s body, at first shyly and then more boldly. He _does_ feel more relaxed now, although it isn’t long before the banked embers of his desire smolder to life once more under Victor’s touch. 

He soon finds himself hard again, pressed close to Victor’s body and needy for more. Victor, ever obliging, slips his fingers back into Yuuri, stroking and stretching him open. Yuuri pants and whines, face buried in Victor’s neck, as Victor stokes the fire that burns in Yuuri higher and higher. And _oh_ , how he burns. All of his worries and inhibitions are stripped away as Victor brings him once more to the brink. By this point his heat has become all-consuming, his mind a haze of desire focused on only one thing: he _needs_ Victor inside of him.

Moaning, he wraps his legs around Victor. “ _Please_ ,” he begs.

Mercifully, Victor doesn’t make him wait any longer; he guides Yuuri onto his back, slotting their hips together. And then he is there, pressing slowly in, and there is no turning back. Yuuri whines, feeling his body stretch as he gives way to Victor’s gentle but inexorable invasion. Once Victor is fully sheathed, he stills for a moment to let Yuuri adjust to the sensation. To Yuuri’s great surprise, it hardly hurts at all. Instead, his chief feeling in that moment is one of utter satisfaction, as he finally has what he has been so desperately craving. He takes a deep breath and shifts his hips experimentally, gasping a little at the jolt of pleasure that follows. Victor takes this as encouragement, and begins to move. 

Making love is, as it turns out, everything that Yuuri had imagined and more. Victor moves his hips in slow rolls, gradually gathering speed as Yuuri’s pleasure becomes evident. Yuuri clings to him tightly, hardly aware of the breathy cries he’s letting out with every thrust. Victor’s breathing is becoming increasingly labored as well, his eyes trained on Yuuri’s. He rocks his hips, finding a new angle, and Yuuri gasps in surprise as Victor’s cock presses against that most sensitive spot inside of him. Victor looks pleased, watching Yuuri’s face avidly as he begins to drive into him more forcefully. 

Yuuri’s pleasure mounts in waves, each one cresting higher than the last until he thinks he can’t possibly bear it anymore. When Victor leans down and mouths gently at the scent gland on his neck, in the exact spot where a harder bite would leave a bonding mark, Yuuri is lost. One more thrust, and he is swept away in a rush of pleasure so intense that it leaves him fairly insensible. In fact, Yuuri is so lost in bliss that he hardly registers the greater stretch that follows as Victor pushes his knot into him. He does, however, witness the moment that Victor is overcome by pleasure himself: mouth gasping, eyes shut, and body trembling as he comes deep inside Yuuri. 

Blanketed by Victor’s weight and stretched full by his knot, Yuuri has never felt so _right_ before in his life. He feels molten; so relaxed and satisfyingly wrung-out that all he can do is lay there and bask in the blissful feeling. He knows that his satiation is temporary, that his heat will drive him to beg Victor for this again and again. But for now, he simply luxuriates in the heady feeling of head-to-toe satisfaction. 

His only coherent thought, as he clings to Victor’s still-shaking body, is that he is infinitely grateful that he chose this path, consequences be damned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I love comments!
> 
> I'm celardor12 on tumblr and twitter.


	5. Chapter 5

Yuuri has lost all sense of time. It seems that he has been in this nest, being alternately cuddled, fed, and fucked by Victor for an eternity. His eyes flutter open as he wakes from a brief doze, Victor’s bare body a reassuring warmth against his back. He is exhausted, and yet somehow still feels a fresh wave of desire rising within him. He squirms back against Victor with a breathy sigh. Victor’s knot has come down while they slept, and his cock slips out of Yuuri as he moves. Yuuri whines, waking him.

“Awake again?” Victor asks sleepily, running his hand through Yuuri’s hair.

“Mmm. Yes. I need… please…” Yuuri is embarrassingly incoherent, but by this point Victor seems to know exactly what he wants.

“Already?” Victor chuckles. “You’ll be the death of me, at this rate.” He rolls Yuuri onto his back, and spreads his thighs. He gazes down hungrily at Yuuri’s opening, swollen and dripping a mix of slick and Victor’s seed. “Ah well, I can’t imagine a better way to go,” he says.

Yuuri moans as Victor grabs his leg and begins peppering the sensitive skin of his inner thigh with kisses and nipping bites. He methodically works his way higher and higher, until he’s teasing at Yuuri’s entrance with his tongue. The first time Victor had done this, Yuuri had been startled and unsure about having Victor’s mouth on that most intimate of places. But then he had seen how exquisitely pleasurable it could be… now, he rolls his hips against Victor’s mouth shamelessly, making no effort to muffle his moans of enjoyment.

How long Victor pleasures him for, Yuuri could not say. He seems to be in no hurry, alternating between gentle licks and firm strokes of his tongue, slowly dragging out Yuuri’s pleasure. Eventually, he stretches Yuuri open with two fingers and thrusts his tongue inside, setting up a firm rhythm that leaves Yuuri panting. He could make Yuuri come just like this (and has), but at the moment Yuuri has a powerful urge for something more. He reaches down, tugging at Victor’s hair needily.

Victor reluctantly takes his mouth from Yuuri. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of your taste,” he murmurs, licking his lips. 

Yuuri looks at him dazedly. “And you are welcome to it anytime you like. But right now, what I need is your cock. Please… I’m so _empty_.” He writhes helplessly at the heat he sees in Victor’s eyes. 

“Then your wish is my command, Your Highness.” 

Victor turns Yuuri back onto his side, lining his body up behind him and nipping gently at his neck. Then in the next moment he pushes his cock inside him once more, and Yuuri sighs in relief. Victor begins to move, with tight thrusts of his hips as he holds Yuuri firmly in place. Yuuri cries out, bracing himself against Victor’s thrusts. The friction borders on painful, overstimulated and sore as Yuuri is, yet still he revels in it. Victor rocks into him again and again, kissing up and down his neck and reaching down to stroke his cock. It isn’t long at all before Yuuri’s orgasm overcomes him, and he tenses in pleasure as he spurts between Victor’s fingers. A moment after, he feels Victor stiffen behind him, followed by the now familiar sensation of his knot stretching him further open. This stretch _is_ a little painful, yet they both gasp in satisfaction as Victor slots himself back into place, pulsing deep inside Yuuri.

As they lay there, breaths slowing, bodies conjoined, and sweat cooling, Yuuri thinks back on the past two days. He had thought initially that their first joining was the utmost pinnacle of pleasure; and in a way it had been, because it was the first. But in the days that had followed, Victor had shown him that there was still so much more to experience. They had made love in all manner of positions, Yuuri discovering that each was enjoyable in its own way. Riding atop Victor, for example, allowed him to control their movements, while being taken from behind was the position that best satisfied Yuuri’s basest animal-like urge to be claimed. Victor had also spent hours giving Yuuri pleasure with his hands and mouth, and patiently taught Yuuri how to do the same for him. 

In between bouts of lovemaking, they had slept, cuddled, and thoroughly covered themselves in each other’s scent. At one point, Victor had caught a rabbit in one of his traps and roasted it over a fire. Yuuri was never terribly hungry while in heat, but had enjoyed it when Victor hand-fed him morsels of the flavorful meat. It is now late in the afternoon of the second full day of his heat, which must mean that it will soon be at an end. Not yet wanting to think about that, Yuuri pulls Victor’s arms around him and closes his eyes, drifting once more into sleep.

  
  


* * *

  
  


When Yuuri wakes, he can tell right away that his heat has broken. He feels sore and stiff all over, muscles protesting at the exertions through which he has put himself. He is initially displeased to note that Victor is no longer in the nest, but sees when sits up that the alpha is only a few feet away, tending to something over the fire. Night has fallen outside, and the flames cast dramatic shadows against the walls of the cave. Yuuri shivers, and pulls a blanket up over his nakedness.

Victor looks over, and sees that he is awake. “Ah, there you are.” He scents the air, and a look of realization comes over his face. “It seems your heat has ended?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“How are you feeling? Not too tired I hope? Or too sore?”

“Mm... a little sore but… not in a bad way. Mostly I’m starving,” Yuuri says honestly.

“Well that’s good, because I’ve just finished roasting these.” Victor gestures, and Yuuri sees two fish and some more of the mandichoke tubers blackening on the coals. After having eaten very little for two days, the smell is mouth-watering. 

Yuuri pulls on the pair of Victor’s breeches that he had discarded at the beginning of his heat, and joins Victor next to the fire. Victor serves them both food, explaining that he had caught the fish in the pool at the base of the waterfall. The fish are coated liberally in the zatal spice, and Yuuri practically inhales the food, stuffing his mouth eagerly despite it still being quite hot. They eat together in a silence that starts out companionable, but which eventually becomes heavy with things unsaid. 

Victor has redressed in his breeches, but his chest is bare, the firelight glinting off the smooth planes of his muscles. He has several scars, in addition to the new one forming as his shoulder wound heals. Yuuri wonders how he got them, and whether Victor might someday share those stories with him if he asked. There’s still so much he doesn’t know about this man. At the moment, he finds himself feeling a bit unsure on how to interact with him. Despite all their shared intimacy during his heat, he feels somewhat awkward. He still _wants_ Victor, but he’s unsure as to whether Victor will want to continue their liaison now that he’s no longer in heat. Victor just watches Yuuri quietly as he eats, as if waiting for Yuuri to make the next move. 

Once Yuuri’s hunger has been satisfied, he becomes aware of how desperately he is in need of a bath. Much of his skin is covered in a thin film of dried fluids, and his hair is surely a tangled mess. He turns to Victor. “I’m going to have a wash in that pool outside. Care to join me?”

Victor’s face lights up a little. “That sounds lovely. I dare say we could both use a good cleaning.”

Yuuri fetches the bar of soap, and they head out to the pool. It’s a lovely warm night, with a full moon that clearly illuminates their footing as they walk down to the water’s edge. Yuuri drops his breeches, and steps in. It’s quite cold, but he finds it refreshing. He looks over his shoulder to see Victor standing behind him, frozen in the process of unlacing his breeches and staring at Yuuri’s naked body. The look on his face leaves Yuuri in no doubt as to whether he still desires him. 

Suddenly feeling significantly more confident, Yuuri smiles and kneels down to begin washing himself. He breaks out in goosebumps at the coldness of the water, and tries to clean himself as quickly as possible. Victor removes his breeches, and steps into the water next to him. He looks incredibly beautiful, the moonlight giving his already striking features an almost otherworldly cast, and Yuuri can hardly take his eyes off of him. He seems to be in a similar condition; his eyes rarely stray from Yuuri even as he bathes himself. Still neither of them speak.

Once they’ve both given themselves a quick but thorough wash, Yuuri sits down on a flat rock and hands Victor the soap. “Will you help me with my hair?” he asks.

“Of course.” Victor sits behind him and runs gentle hands through Yuuri’s hair, carefully working each tangle out of the long damp strands. Once Yuuri’s hair is as manageable as it will get without a proper comb, he rubs the soap into a lather between his hands and begins to work it in. Yuuri closes his eyes and sighs in pleasure as Victor combs through the roots of his hair and massages his scalp. As he works, he leans forward to inhale Yuuri’s scent at the nape of his neck. Yuuri’s answering shiver is not only due to the cold. He turns around, pressing his face to Victor’s and catching his lips in a kiss. 

Victor returns the kiss, then pulls back, his eyes searching Yuuri’s.

“You still want this?” he asks. “Even though your heat has broken?”

Yuuri nods helplessly, staring into his eyes. He leans forward to press their foreheads together, kissing Victor sweetly again. “I can’t imagine not wanting you,” he breathes against Victor’s lips.

Victor groans, kissing Yuuri with renewed fervor. Yuuri melts into his arms, opening his mouth to chase Victor’s tongue with his own. When they finally pull apart, their breaths are coming quickly.

“I need to rinse my hair.” 

“So you do,” Victor says with a little laugh. He watches as Yuuri bends down to clean his hair in the water, his eyes following the movements of Yuuri’s body avidly. “I’m afraid it may just get tangled again, however.”

Yuuri looks up at him coyly. “Is that a promise?”

“If you like.” Victor stands, and extends his hand to Yuuri. Yuuri wrings out his hair and allows Victor to pull him to his feet and wrap his arms around him. He shivers against the alpha’s warmer body.

“You’re cold.”

Yuuri nods.

“Then let’s go warm you up.”

With no warning aside from the sudden wolfish look in his eyes, Victor hoists him up into his arms. Yuuri squeaks in surprise, wrapping his arms around Victor’s neck and laughing as Victor carries him back into the cave. They trade kisses as they go, which slows their progress considerably. Eventually they reach the nest, where Yuuri is gently deposited. He pulls Victor down with him, kissing him with all the fervour he can manage. He’s surprised at how much he still wants this, even out of heat. Victor groans, and reaches down to stroke over both of their cocks, pressing his greater length against Yuuri’s as they quickly harden. 

Between the warmth of the fire and the warmth of Victor’s hands, Yuuri is no longer the least bit chilled. He gasps as Victor breaches him with two fingers, slick and ready in anticipation. Before Victor can line his cock up to enter him, however, Yuuri stops him with a hand on his chest. Victor looks at him quizzically.

“I want to ride you,” Yuuri says, pushing Victor onto his back.

“By all means.” Victor grins in delight as Yuuri climbs up onto him and positions himself over his cock.

“ _Ah_ ,” Yuuri moans in sharp satisfaction as he sinks down onto Victor’s length. “This way… you can rest your shoulder.” He begins to move up and down, luxuriating in the feeling of being filled once more. His soreness from their days of lovemaking hardly registers amidst the pleasure. “You really shouldn’t have strained yourself by picking me up, you know.”

Victor laughs. “You worry too much.” He groans as Yuuri continues to rock up and down, watching his cock disappear into Yuuri’s body. “You’ve taken… ah... such good care of me. I can assure you... I’m no invalid.” He suddenly grabs Yuuri’s hips and thrusts upward, as if to prove his point. It feels spine-meltingly good; Yuuri whines in response and speeds up his movement. 

Victor continues to thrust, matching his movements to Yuuri’s in a synchronous rhythm that has Yuuri’s pulse racing. He runs his hands up Yuuri’s sides and over the buds of his nipples, which stand taught in the cool air. Yuuri throws his head back, moaning without inhibition as his pleasure builds. He no longer feels at all shy about letting Victor hear his enjoyment, and in fact delights in the effect that his cries have on the alpha. This time is no exception; Victor gasps in response and speeds up his thrusts. At the same time, he reaches up to twist one hand in Yuuri’s hair and run the other over the scent gland on his neck. 

Yuuri keens at the new sensation and reaches down to stroke his own cock as he gets closer and closer to climax, Victor watching with open-mouthed hunger. He tightens his grip on Yuuri’s hair ever so slightly, tilting his head so that the flushed skin of his neck is on display. Yuuri’s nerves are aflame as Victor continues to rub merciless circles over his still-swollen scent gland. He chokes out a breathy gasp, utterly overstimulated as Victor increases the power of his thrusts even more, and finally falls apart completely. He comes all over Victor’s chest, bucking in pleasure and crying out. 

Victor fucks him through it, then pushes himself up into a sitting position as Yuuri practically collapses against his chest. He holds Yuuri’s hips tightly, thrusting into him a few more times, his face pressed into Yuuri’s neck. Yuuri feels just the barest hint of his teeth on his scent gland as Victor comes with a final thrust.

Afterwards, they lay facing each other in the nest. Yuuri is boneless and exhausted, already missing the sensation of being knotted. Without the stimulus of his heat, however, he knows that Victor won’t be able to produce one. The nest still retains the fading smell of his heat, mixed with Victor’s cool scent and the smell of sex. For a while, neither of them speak. Inexorably, Yuuri feels a wave of sadness begin to creep over him.

“So… I guess we’ll have to continue travelling tomorrow,” he says quietly.

“Yes, I suppose so. We need to get you to Erivan, and I need to figure out who was responsible for that attack.” Victor reaches for Yuuri’s hand, twining their fingers together. “But I wish we could stay here longer. Perhaps I’m selfish.”

Yuuri’s heart thrills to hear Victor say it, rebelling against the pragmatic part of his mind that says he should not let himself fall too far. “If you’re selfish, then so am I.” He squeezes Victor’s hand in his. “I confess I’m dreading our return to civilization. And with it… my marriage.”

When Victor looks into his eyes, Yuuri sees a sadness there he had not anticipated. “I feel the same. When I think about your marriage, of you with another alpha...” His face twists. “...with my brother, I hate the thought. I know I shouldn’t be jealous.” He shakes his head ruefully. “I knew going into this what must follow. I thought I could handle it but-” he sighs. “I confess I’ve never quite felt this way before.”

That surprises Yuuri. “Really? But haven’t you… had many other omegas?” He had been braced for the likelihood that Victor would not return his feelings in the same measure. He’d thought that perhaps, for Victor, their affair would simply be one of many, and therefore not assigned any great importance. But Victor surprises him once again.

“I’ve had other lovers, yes,” he says. “Although you might as well know, my reputation is a bit overblown. But, since I promised to always be honest- I must admit that none of them made me feel the way you do. ”

Yuuri’s treacherous heart beats faster. “None of them?”

“Not a one.” Victor looks square into his eyes, and Yuuri can’t deny the emotion that he sees there.

“Is it terrible that I’m glad to hear that?” he asks. He wants to erase those other omegas from Victor’s past, even while recognizing the hypocrisy of such jealousy when he is the one pledged to another. 

Victor smiles sadly. “No, since it seems we both feel the same. But… when we reach Erivan…”

“This ends,” Yuuri says, fighting back a horrible wave of sadness. “It has to.”

Victor watches him carefully. “If that’s what you want.”

Yuuri shakes his head, and pulls Victor to him. He lays his head on his uninjured shoulder, and closes his eyes against the tears that threaten to fall. “It’s not. But I don’t see how we have any choice.”

Victor wraps his arms around Yuuri, and they hold each other tight, breathing in each other’s scents. Yuuri wishes he could simply enjoy the moment, but the fear of their inevitable separation looms over them like a cloud.

  
  


* * *

  
  


In the morning, they are both notably subdued. They pack up somewhat slowly, both seeming loathe to begin their travels again. Eventually all is readied, however, and they mount up on Makkachin once more. As they ride away, Yuuri looks back to watch until the waterfall and the cave entrance are hidden by trees, trying to fix this spot in his memory. He knows that all too soon, memories will be all he has left of his time with Victor.

Their ride that day is quiet and peaceful. They continue to traverse the foothills, taking a path that avoids the highest peaks. The landscape is a mix of wooded areas and more open spaces, and the Kirshorn mountains can always be seen to their left. Yuuri is impressed that Victor can tell which way to go without any roads to guide their way, and eventually says as much to him, which leads to Victor describing some of his past journeys through the region. 

Evidently Lord Feltsman had been of the opinion that a proper knight should know how to rough it in the wilderness, and had taught Victor various means of survival and navigation. In fact, the first time that Victor had come through this land was with Feltsman, on a journey to assess a situation at Erivan’s southern border. Since then, he has made the journey a few more times for various reasons, sometimes preferring it to taking the road. 

“You won’t find much lovelier scenery,” Victor says as they crest a hill and stop to take in the view. It is indeed a scenic vista: a series of rolling hills stretch out before them, their slopes carpeted in evergreen forests dotted with expansive green-gold meadows. It’s a clear and cloudless day, and the distant peaks of the mountains gleam white in the sun. 

“It’s beautiful,” Yuuri agrees. He’s sitting behind Victor’s saddle once more, and leans his head against Victor’s shoulder, encircling him with his arms. “I’ve never been anywhere so wild before.” 

“The lack of people is part of the charm for me. I enjoy some aspects of my time spent in the capital but… it’s difficult as well.”

“How so?”

“Well… my place in court is always a bit awkward. It’s only gotten more so in recent years. I believe my father wants me to play a role there, perhaps someday acting as a sort of military advisor or commander for Deveran. But he’s never granted me a Lordship, and probably never will.” He glances at Yuuri sidelong. “Out of deference to Deveran, and his future heirs.”

Yuuri frowns at the mention of “heirs”, which of course he himself is supposed to provide. “I suppose he doesn’t want _your_ potential future children to have cause to challenge Deveran’s for the throne.”

“Exactly. So you see I’m in a rather delicate position. Father has been making noises about having me join his Senior Council one of these days to get more advisory experience, which would mean spending a lot more time in Erivan. I’ve been putting it off because I’ve not wanted to spend so much time at court, but now…maybe that’s changed,” Victor says, looking at Yuuri pensively. 

“Oh. I had imagined I wouldn’t see you much after… after I’m married.” Yuuri’s not sure which would be worse: seeing Victor rarely, or seeing him every day but being unable to touch him.

“Well...it will depend on my father’s wishes, and Deveran’s.” 

“I see. Would you... tell me more about Deveran? I understand if you’d rather not speak of him, or of my marriage, but-”

“You’re curious. Naturally.” Victor sighs and gently nudges Makkachin back into motion. “We’ve never gotten along well. Some of that was due to the influence of his mother, who resented me. She’s been dead several years now, though, and we still rarely see eye-to-eye. I’ve always thought he was arrogant, and to be honest I think he’s a bit jealous of me.”

“Jealous? Why?”

“Because I’ve earned some fame as a swordsman and military commander, despite being a bastard. He, on the other hand, has mostly been stuck at court with no chance to prove himself. I fear my father has been over-protective of him, since he is his only heir.”

Yuuri mulls this over. “I have a hard time understanding his jealousy. Having now witnessed a battle firsthand myself, I can’t imagine why anyone would wish to be in one.” He still sometimes has nightmares about the attack on their party.

Victor nods. “I’ve told Deveran as much, but it’s done nothing to ease his resentment. The last time we saw each other he hardly spoke to me.”

“In that case, I worry what his reaction will be when we turn up, and he discovers we’ve been traveling alone together for over a week.”

Victor sighs wearily. “Yes, that might be a problem. Perhaps he will just be relieved to see you safe and sound.”

“Perhaps.” From what Yuuri has heard about the man, however, he rather doubts that will be the case.

They make camp that night in an open meadow. After eating, they lay out the bedroll by the fire and make love under the bright stars. Victor takes his time with Yuuri, bringing him nearly to the brink over and over, so that when Yuuri finally comes he is practically in tears. Afterwards, he lays awake for a while after Victor falls asleep, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest. It seems a shame to sleep at all, knowing how few of these nights remain to him, but eventually sleep finds him anyhow.

  
  


* * *

  
  


The next few days are much the same. Most of their time is spent on horseback, although occasionally one or both of them will walk for a while to give Makkachin a break. By the end of each day, Yuuri’s back and legs are stiff and sore from all the riding. When he mentions this one evening, Victor insists on giving him a thorough massage every night from then on, which helps immensely and leads, without fail, to lovemaking. Their desire for each other has not diminished; if anything it seems to grow stronger by the day, both of them eager to soak up as much of the other’s touch as they possibly can. Victor’s wound continues to heal under Yuuri’s care, although Yuuri remains cautious about doing anything that might strain it.

At night, they sleep wrapped in each other’s arms, holding on tightly as if afraid that the other will suddenly vanish. On two occasions, Yuuri wakes in the middle of the night from a horrible nightmare in which he is once more struggling against the alpha who tried to take him captive. Victor always seems to sense when this is happening, and wakes to comfort and hold Yuuri until he falls back asleep.The day after the second such night, Yuuri asks Victor if he would be willing to teach him some basic self-defense strategies. Victor is surprised at first, but agrees to give Yuuri a short lesson the next time they stop to let Makkachin graze. 

During their lesson, Victor first shows Yuuri the basics of how to hold a sword, although it is immediately clear that Victor’s sword is much too large for Yuuri to wield comfortably. So they switch to his knife next, Victor demonstrating how to handle it, which are the best places to aim for on an opponent, and how to conceal the blade on his person if need be. He ends the lesson by teaching Yuuri some simple hand-to-hand moves he can make use of if someone tries to grab him from behind or otherwise subdue him. 

By the end of it, they are both quite sweaty and out of breath. In the course of their grappling, they have ended up with Victor flat on his back, Yuuri sitting astride his torso. Victor has removed his tunic, and Yuuri finds himself rapidly losing interest in the lesson. 

“You know, if you really want to stop an alpha in his tracks,” Victor says, “your best bet is probably just to kick him in the groin.”

“Oh?” Yuuri reaches back to run his hand over the bulge in Victor’s breeches. “That does seem like sound advice. I hear alphas are very sensitive there.” He gives Victor’s cock a firm squeeze.

Victor groans, pressing up against Yuuri’s hand and answering Yuuri’s mischievous smile with one of his own. Yuuri bends down to kiss him hungrily, leaving no doubt as to his intentions. Victor seems to be just as desperate as he is, and before long Yuuri is riding him with abandon, neither of them even having bothered to get fully undressed. 

Afterwards, Yuuri climbs off of him and Victor continues to lay on his back in the grass, catching his breath. He looks at Yuuri playfully. “Well… if _that_ is how you plan to defeat your enemies, none will stand a chance.” 

Yuuri laughs. “You’re ridiculous.” Then he sobers a bit. “But in all seriousness… thank you for this. I know one lesson will hardly make much of a difference if I was faced with a real opponent but… nonetheless. I hate to feel helpless.”

“Of course. I’m happy to continue the lessons while we travel,” Victor says as he re-laces his breeches. “I wouldn’t call you helpless, however. You did manage to defend yourself successfully once, after all. Still, I hate that the attack has made you feel unsafe. I promise I will get to the bottom of it.”

“You’ve said that before, but… how? Whoever organized it will surely have tried to cover their tracks.”

“Yes, but I have informants at court who may be of some use in the matter. Someone must know something, and I know many people who trade in information.”

“I see.” It strikes Yuuri that Victor seems to be very well connected at court for a mere bastard. But then again, he is a very talented and famous bastard. And although his mother wasn’t technically of the nobility, it’s Yuuri’s understanding that high-ranking courtesans are highly esteemed in Estemor. Victor must be fairly well-liked and respected for his father to consider having him join his Senior Council. Yuuri wonders, for a moment, whether Victor might have any suspicions about the origin of the attack that he hasn’t shared with him. “Do you have any new theories about the attack?” he asks.

Victor glances at him thoughtfully. “Not exactly. The Asterans’ motive seems obvious: the attack could have disrupted your wedding, and therefore perhaps the treaty that was conditional upon it. They may have planned to hold you hostage against your parents. Also, there are many in Astera who despise me, specifically, for my role in their defeat by Estemor. As to who might have helped them however… that is less clear.”

“Perhaps someone in Estemor who wants to disrupt the marriage or the treaty? But who, and why?” 

“I don’t know. I’ve been away from the capital for too long, I no longer know all the goings-on at court. But I’ll find out.”

Yuuri senses that there’s something Victor’s not saying, but isn’t sure if this is the moment to press him on it. “I hope you can figure it out. I don’t think I’ll feel safe until you do,” he admits.

“Nor will I,” Victor agrees, looking pensive.

  
  


* * *

  
  


The next day finds Yuuri’s spirits at their lowest point yet. They are now only a couple of days away from Erivan, and Victor says that they will meet back up with the road tomorrow. Yuuri’s heart has been growing steadily heavier with every day that passes, and the knowledge that they will soon return to civilization has him utterly dejected. Knowing that his time with Victor is drawing to a close is agony. He’s fallen so far so quickly that he’s not sure how he’ll possibly bear to part with him. 

Victor doesn’t seem any better off; he is moody and quiet, and several times Yuuri catches him staring at him with a pensive sadness. Their pace seems to have slowed somewhat, as though Victor can’t bring himself to ride any faster towards their destination. Yuuri feels he should talk to him about it, but hesitates to broach such a distressing subject. Their lovemaking that night is tinged with desperation.

The next morning, however, they do finally have a conversation about the future. The sun is just coming up over the horizon as they lay in the bedroll, wrapped in each other’s arms. Yuuri traces a hand gently over the swell of Victor’s shoulder and down his bicep.

Victor’s eyes search Yuuri’s face. “A penny for your thoughts?” he asks.

Yuuri sighs wistfully. “I was thinking that… I wish I could somehow freeze time, and just stay right here, right now, in this moment with you.”

Victor smiles softly, and a bit sadly. “That sounds like paradise.”

“I want to enjoy these last days together, but… it’s becoming harder and harder, knowing we’ll have to part soon,” Yuuri confesses.

“About that…,” Victor says hesitantly, “are you so sure that we need to end this?”

“What?” Yuuri says in surprise. “Of… of course we do!”

“But… why? Couldn’t we continue to see each other, in secret? If I’m living in the capital, we might have the opportunity.” Victor looks hopeful, and earnest. “No one would have to know! Do you really want this to be the end?”

Yuuri is speechless for a moment, hating to dash Victor’s hopes. “N-no, of course I don’t _want_ this to be the end. But it _has_ to be,” he finally says. 

Victor frowns, disentangling himself from Yuuri and sitting up. He looks hurt.

Yuuri sits up as well, turning to fully face him. “I can’t take the risk that we would get caught and have my marriage or the treaty annulled. You know that,” he says, trying to get Victor to understand.

Victor looks away and says nothing. 

“Victor,” Yuuri says gently, taking his hand. Victor turns back and meets his eyes once more. “These past few days with you have been the best of my life. The thought of leaving you is tearing me apart. But… I _have_ to get married. There’s no other choice. We’ll both just… have to learn to live with it.”

A tear slips down Victor’s face. “Live the rest of my life with a broken heart, you mean? I’m not sure I can do that. Gods, I don’t want you to marry him!” he cries.

“I know. You even said so when you were feverish, before anything had happened between us.”

“I did?” Victor says in surprise. “Well, it’s true. Deveran won’t respect you. He won’t… care for you like I do.” He squeezes Yuuri’s hand. “You deserve so much better.”

“Maybe. But my duty has to come before my heart. Your parents made the same choice; they set their love aside when your father married.”

Victor frowns. “Yes, and they were both miserable for it. I don’t want to be like them. Deveran is bound to have affairs anyhow, so why shouldn’t you?”

“Because, it’s more dangerous for me as an omega. If we were found out, the paternity of my children would be in question. It could be very perilous… for _both_ of us.”

Victor sets his mouth. “I would kill anyone who tried to hurt you,” he says fiercely.

“Fine, but what about my family and my kingdom? You can’t protect them by yourself, we need your father’s army. And for that, I need Deveran. Please, Victor… don’t hate me for doing what I must,” Yuuri begs, tears forming now in his own eyes.

Victor shakes his head vehemently, even as more tears fall. “I could never hate you.”

“No, but it feels like you blame me for what must come next,” Yuuri cries. “Do you imagine I will enjoy being wedded to your brother?”

Victor looks away, dropping Yuuri’s hand. “In my darker moments… I suppose I do fear that,” he admits. His eyes flit to Yuuri’s. “I fear that you will be happy with him… that you will enjoy it.”

“Would you prefer me to be unhappy?”

“No. I don’t know.” Victor looks lost.

“I could never be happy with him,” Yuuri says flatly. “Not after my time with you. But don’t make me feel guilty for doing what I must for my people. What do you want me to do, resist him on my wedding night?”

Victor clenches his jaw, silently.

“Are you asking me to? Answer me,” Yuuri demands.

Victor sighs. “No. I can’t ask that. I just… I want you to be mine,” he says hopelessly. 

Yuuri turns away, unable to bear the look on Victor’s face any longer. “Well, I can’t be,” he says with finality.

  
  


* * *

  
  


They hardly speak during their ride that morning, both of them sunk too deeply in their own misery. Yuuri still clings to Victor as they ride, however, breathing in his scent and fighting back the tears that constantly threaten to fall. He knows he should say something more, to try to alleviate some of Victor’s grief somehow- but what? What can he possibly say to make their situation any better? There’s nothing.

The hills gradually lessen as they ride, and by mid-morning they see the first farmhouse on the horizon. This harbinger of their return to civilization is rapidly followed by more, and soon they are riding through settled farmland. Shortly after that, they come to the King’s Road once more. Victor says that they should reach the city outskirts by midday tomorrow, and Yuuri feels his heart sink even lower into his stomach. His one consolation is that Victor has assured him they have one more night of camping out in the countryside before they reach more densely populated parts. Hopefully, they’ll find an isolated enough spot that they’ll be able to make the most of their last night together. 

The thought of only having one night left with Victor is enough to spur Yuuri into an attempt at an apology for his words that morning. He remains firm in his decision, but regrets his harshness in how he had expressed it.

“Victor, I-” he begins.

He gets no further, however; the rest of his words die in his throat as the sound of approaching hoofbeats suddenly intrudes upon their quiet stretch of road. He and Victor both look up in alarm. The hoofbeats are accompanied by the sound of people talking, suggesting the approach of a rather large company. They’re still a ways off, and hidden around a bend, but clearly drawing nearer. 

“Should we try to hide?” Yuuri asks. They’re mostly surrounded by flat farmland, and he’s not at all sure that they could do so in time. 

“I don’t think so,” Victor says. “We’re quite near to the capital now… we _should_ be safe. The road is pretty well-traveled here, and we can’t hide from everybody we might encounter on it. It’s most likely just a group of farmers or merchants.”

“Alright,” Yuuri says. Nevertheless, he finds himself gripping more tightly to Victor as the sounds approach.

They don’t have to wait long at all before the group of riders comes into view, and it takes only a moment to realize that they are most certainly neither farmers nor merchants. Instead, it is clearly a group of soldiers and knights, wearing the flowing burgundy cloaks of Estemor. At their head is a man with sandy brown hair on a spirited white horse. His armor gleams in the sun, and Yuuri can just make out a golden circlet set on his head. At the sight of him, Victor stiffens as if turned to stone within Yuuri’s arms. 

Yuuri immediately guesses that the man approaching them could only be one person, and yet his heart still seems to stand still for a moment when Victor utters a single word:

“Deveran.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit where it's due: part of argument at the end was inspired by dialogue from the movie "Portrait of a Lady on Fire". If you haven't seen this film, YOU SHOULD. 
> 
> I'm celardor12 on tumblr and twitter. 
> 
> Comments give me life!


	6. Chapter 6

For a moment, Yuuri is frozen in utter shock. He has been mentally preparing himself for their meeting with Deveran _tomorrow_ , little thinking that they would come across him on the road today instead. His thoughts and emotions are a mad whirl, but the one that immediately comes to the fore is despair: he and Victor were supposed to have one last night together, and now even _that_ is lost to him. 

Yuuri clutches Victor tight in anguish. How cruel, that they should suddenly be parted like this. He hasn’t even had the chance to apologise for his ill-thought-out words this morning, and now there’s no time. Before Yuuri can even open his mouth to say anything, Deveran catches sight of them. He appears to do a double-take, and then spurs his horse forward to meet them. He wears an elaborate suit of shining armor, a flowing cloak, and a gleaming gold circlet sits in his light brown hair.

“Victor!” he says, stopping abruptly before them. “And Your Highness, Prince Yuuri!” The look on his face is difficult to decipher. He looks surprised, certainly, but also for a moment somewhat discomfited. His unease vanishes so quickly, however, that Yuuri questions whether he imagined it or not. “You’re alive!” Deveran exclaims. “When I heard the news, I feared the worst.”

“Yes, we are alive,” Victor says stiffly. “Although, as it seems you have heard, we ran into a bit of trouble on the road.”

“A _bit_ of trouble! We received a messenger yesterday, who said that the remains of your carriage and baggage train had been found in the road, and all of the guardsmen slain. We rode out at once, fearing the worst, although they said neither of your bodies had been found. What on earth happened?” 

Victor looks past Deveran’s shoulder at the group of soldiers and knights gathered behind him. “Perhaps we had better get off the road for a bit. Prince Yuuri and I could use a rest and some food, and we’ll relate the whole story.”

“Yes, of course. Forgive me, Your Highness,” Deveran says, switching his focus to Yuuri. “Whatever happened, I imagine you must be in need of some decent food.” He jumps down off of his horse, handing the reins to one of the soldiers who has ridden up next to him. “Please, allow me,” he says, extending his hand up to Yuuri.

Yuuri swallows thickly, still very much in shock at this sudden turn of events. “Thank you,” he says stiffly, regretfully letting go of Victor and taking Deveran’s hand as he dismounts. Once he is on the ground, Deveran immediately bows deeply, inhaling at the scent gland on Yuuri’s wrist. Although Yuuri knows this is the polite tradition in Estemor, he nonetheless freezes, struggling to master his emotions as he recalls the first time Victor had done the exact same thing. He doesn’t dare look up at his lover, lest he give himself away.

Deveran presses a kiss to Yuuri’s hand, then continues to hold it as he straightens up. He looks at Yuuri with seemingly earnest concern. “I am _so_ relieved to find you safe and sound. I left Erivan immediately to search for you, as soon as I heard you had gone missing.” He squeezes Yuuri’s hand, and Yuuri notices, numbly, that he has the same striking blue eyes as Victor. 

“I appreciate your concern,” Yuuri says, dipping into a polite curtsy. “I survived the attack thanks to your brother. He… he saved me.” He risks a brief glance at Victor, who has dismounted as well. Victor’s face is carefully blank as he watches their exchange.

Deveran looks at Victor as well, with a smile that does not quite reach his eyes. “Then I am glad I asked Victor specifically to accompany you.”

Victor nods curtly. “It was no more than my duty.”

Deveran looks back and forth between Yuuri and Victor for a moment. “Well,” he finally says, dropping Yuuri’s hand, “it seems you two must have quite the story to share. Let’s sit and have some lunch, and you can tell me everything.”

Deveran then turns, and gestures imperiously at some of the others. Yuuri guesses that there are at least thirty or forty people in Deveran’s company; most of them appear to be alpha or beta soldiers, along with a few higher ranking alpha knights and a couple younger individuals who must be squires of some sort. There is quite a bustle of activity for several minutes as everyone dismounts and begins setting up an impromptu camp for lunch in a nearby field. The squires set out an array of lush blankets and cushions for Deveran, Yuuri, and Victor to sit on, and quickly bring them an assortment of fruits, cheeses, cold meats, and wine. The food should be exceedingly tempting after days of simple rations, but Yuuri finds that his appetite has quite deserted him. Deveran insists on sitting directly next to Yuuri, and is very solicitous in ensuring his well-being and offering him the various foods to try, which only heightens Yuuri’s discomfort. Once all has been arranged and the squires and others have retreated to a respectful distance, Deveran’s face turns serious.

“So,” he says, turning to Victor. “Tell me what happened.”

Victor takes a deep breath, and begins to relate their tale. He gives Deveran an honest accounting of his meeting with Yuuri’s party, the attack, and their escape together. He explains that he was wounded in the attack, and that Yuuri fortunately had some knowledge of herbal remedies and was able to help care for his injury. He makes no mention of Yuuri scenting him, or going into heat, or anything that followed, except to say that they were delayed for a few days while his wound healed. He hardly looks at Yuuri as he talks, and relates the bare facts of their adventure in the tone of one giving a military report. While he talks, Yuuri does his best to school his face into an impassive mask; one that will not give away any of his true feelings. The blank and distant look on Victor’s face must be similar to the one on his own, but it pains him greatly to see it. It feels horribly like he is already losing him. 

As Victor talks, Yuuri can’t help but compare the appearance of the two brothers. They have the same blue eyes, and a certain similarity of features. Deveran is somewhat shorter, and his hair is brown where Victor’s is blond. His face is also more square, and seems to hold a slight perpetual frown. He is objectively rather handsome, yet next to Victor he somehow just looks like a poorly made copy. 

Deveran is immediately interested to hear that the attack was carried out by Asterans, and he and Victor have some discussion on this subject. Deveran seems convinced that the goal of the attack was to disrupt the marriage, and waves off Victor’s concerns that there may have been more behind it. “Of course they would want to prevent this marriage at all costs,” he says, only now glancing briefly at Yuuri. “I don’t think we need to look any further for an explanation, when the answer is quite obvious.”

Victor frowns slightly and begins to object, but Deveran interrupts him. “I know, I know, you find it strange that they were able to get so far into Estemor. And of course, we’ll make a full inquiry into that. But I suspect we’ll find that they just found a spot to slip across the border.” He shrugs philosophically. “I certainly don’t know of anyone in Estemor who would oppose this marriage, or who would stoop so low as to ally themselves with Asterans!” 

Victor looks unconvinced, but says no more on the subject. Yuuri, for his part, has been watching this exchange closely. There is a distinct coldness between the two brothers. Victor is polite, but formal. Deveran is dismissive of Victor’s concerns, and at no point expresses relief at Victor’s having survived, or in fact any sort of brotherly affection whatsoever. Nor does he ever ask for Yuuri’s input, which Yuuri can’t help but find offensive. It should probably not be surprising; he’s had many experiences of alphas ignoring and talking over him in the past. But he’s gotten used to being treated like an equal by Victor, and the sudden change is like a slap in the face. Only once Victor has answered Deveran’s questions to his satisfaction, does Deveran finally turn his attention to Yuuri.

“You must forgive us for all this military talk,” he says with a rueful smile, “I know it must be quite boring for you. Have you had enough to eat? I am afraid I can’t offer you a proper hot meal, since I wanted to ride quickly and didn’t bring a full baggage train or cook with me.”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Yuuri demurs. “The food was quite good, thank you.”

Deveran looks skeptically at Yuuri’s lunch, of which he has managed to eat very little. “Alright,” he says dubiously. “Well, I hate to ask you to ride any further when you have been on such a journey already, but if you think you could handle a _bit_ more, we can begin to make our way back to Erivan today.” He smiles solicitously, “I am sure you are looking forward to being back in civilization after all this.”

“Ah, yes, I am,” Yuuri lies. “I can ride a bit further.”

“Excellent.” Deveran gestures at the two squires, who hurry over.

As he begins giving orders to have everyone packed up once more and under way, Yuuri risks a brief glance at Victor while they are unobserved. Victor’s face is steely, but when he meets Yuuri’s eyes his mask drops for a split second, revealing mute desperation. Yuuri has no idea what his own face is doing, but he is certain that it would be very dangerous for them if Deveran were to turn and see it. So he swallows down his tears and painfully schools his features back into a semblance of calm. When Deveran turns his attention to Yuuri once more, his mask is back in place.

Deveran apologizes profusely to Yuuri for not having a carriage for him to ride in, and has one of the squires fetch him a spare horse to ride. As the boy is bringing the horse around, Deveran suddenly turns to Yuuri and says, “I’m sorry, I should have asked- are you comfortable riding on your own? You could share my horse, if you prefer.”

“No, no, that’s not necessary. I can ride very well,” Yuuri hastens to assure him. The last thing he wants right now is to be obliged to hold onto Deveran.

“Excellent. I appreciate an omega who knows how to ride. But don’t worry, we’ll slow our pace for you,” Deveran says condescendingly. 

Yuuri stiffens. “Thank you, but I don’t think that will be necessary. I can keep up quite well.” He swings himself up onto the offered horse, ignoring Deveran’s raised eyebrow and look of faint amusement.

They soon set off. Yuuri and Deveran ride at the head of the party, while the others keep a respectful distance behind them. Yuuri glances back at one point, to see that Victor is riding amongst the other knights. They seem to be engaged in a comfortable conversation, and Yuuri wonders if Victor knows them.

When Yuuri turns back, he catches Deveran watching him and tries to smooth his features into something pleasant. Deveran glances back at Victor. “So, you must have gotten to know my brother fairly well after traveling with him for over a week,” he says.

Yuuri gives what he desperately hopes is a bland and polite smile. “Yes, I suppose so. He was… most chivalrous.”

“Mm. And did he tell you much about me?”

“A little. But perhaps you can tell me more,” Yuuri says, wanting to steer the conversation away from Victor.

Thankfully Deveran takes this invitation, and begins to tell Yuuri more about the history of his family and kingdom, and his own personal interests. Yuuri listens politely, trying to match Deveran’s words with the little that Victor had shared about him. The picture that begins to emerge is not a particularly encouraging one; Deveran comes across as self-important and condescending. He seems to spend a great deal of time hunting, traveling, and jousting, and Yuuri gets the impression that he is not especially interested in the intricacies of governing a kingdom. He asks Yuuri about Hasetsu and his family in a rather perfunctory way, then launches into an enthusiastic description of the wonders of Erivan and the Maveris royal palace. He seems to assume that Yuuri must be extraordinarily excited to leave his own small kingdom behind. Eventually, their conversation turns back to the attack on Yuuri’s transport.

“I am sorry to say that I was told your baggage-train was thoroughly looted after the attack,” Deveran says. “But never fear, I shall provide you with a far handsomer set of gowns and the like anyhow.” He glances sidelong at Yuuri, his eyes lingering on the sweat and dirt stains on his clothing. “I dare say you will be quite relieved to have some _proper_ clothes again.”

Yuuri shifts uncomfortably. He is at least wearing his own clothing today, and although the silk pants and tunic are significantly worse for the wear, it is surely better than if they had been found while he was wearing Victor’s clothes. “Yes, I suppose,” he says. “But I’m far more concerned about the _people_ I lost in the attack than a few gowns. In addition to all the soldiers we lost, my maid was also carried off by the Asterans. Do you think she might still be found?”

Deveran shakes his head somberly. “I’m afraid you’re highly unlikely to ever see her again. Of course I shall send scouts out to search for the Asterans, but I’m sure they are long gone by now. I assure you, however, that you shall have no shortage of maids once we return.”

Yuuri swallows hard, biting back an angry response. Deveran’s cold indifference to Chiho’s fate certainly does nothing to warm Yuuri to him.

When they eventually stop for the evening, Deveran offers his tent for Yuuri to sleep in. It’s quite a good size, and the squires lay out a bed piled high with soft furs and warm blankets inside. The accommodation is lavish compared to what Yuuri has been used to for the last week, but he finds he has no desire to sleep in it. His thoughts turn constantly to Victor, who he has hardly seen all day. Deveran had occupied his time completely; riding next to him, sharing his meals, and generally not letting Yuuri out of his sight. He longs to catch a glimpse of Victor before he retires for the evening, but the knight seems determined to keep a respectful distance. Yuuri is exhausted and dismayed; his heart hurts like a bruise, and he has trouble forcing himself to listen to Deveran’s words as he bids him goodnight.

“I hope you will be relatively comfortable tonight. I’m sorry I can’t provide a more generous accommodation. Unfortunately, there’s nothing around here but peasant’s hovels, and I certainly would not expect you to set foot into one of _those_.”

“It’s fine, really,” Yuuri says. 

“Well, it’s only for one night at least. I’ll sleep outside with the others, of course. Not that I wouldn’t much prefer to spend the night with you…,” at this, Deveran’s eyes roam over Yuuri’s body in a way that makes his skin crawl, “but of course, we’ll have to wait until our wedding night for that.” 

Yuuri blinks, at a loss for words, and Deveran walks away with a smirk. The moment his back is turned, Yuuri closes himself in the tent and bursts into tears. He grabs a pillow to stifle the sounds of his crying, not wanting anyone to hear them through the thin walls. The pillow, and all the bedding, smell like Deveran: a harsh musky scent that Yuuri instinctively recoils from. 

He longs to be able to turn back time, or to fall asleep and wake to find that this is all just a horrible dream and he and Victor are still in the cave in the woods. He longs to hold Victor, and tell him that he’s sorry, and that he loves him. He’s in no doubt now that he’s in love: when he thinks of Victor, his heart aches so much he can hardly draw breath. If that’s not love, then what is? 

He weeps until he’s too tired to cry anymore, and then he lies limply in misery, unable to sleep, in a bed that smells horribly like the wrong person.

  
  


* * *

  
  


The next day dawns to find Yuuri bleary-eyed and tired. He washes his face in some water that one of the squires brings him, and does his best to compose himself. It’s a struggle, and it takes him several minutes to pull himself together and hide the worst of his misery. It’s a good thing that he takes the time, however, because Deveran greets him immediately when he exits the tent. Fortunately he does not seem to see past Yuuri’s carefully constructed facade, remarking only that Yuuri looks tired and apologizing again for the poor accommodations.

They eat breakfast and pack quite quickly. Yuuri doesn’t have a chance to interact with Victor at all, aside from meeting his eyes briefly from across the camp as he finishes breakfast. Deveran is watching them, however, so Victor quickly drops his eyes and Yuuri doesn’t let his gaze linger either. Once they are mounted and on their way, Deveran insists on riding with Yuuri once more. Their conversation, as they ride, eventually turns towards Yuuri’s study of medicine.

“So, Victor mentioned that you had some knowledge of healing,” Deveran says. “That is… certainly an interesting pastime for a royal omega.” He looks bemused.

“I suppose. I’ve always been fascinated by it, though, and tried to make time to study it when I could,” Yuuri says.

Deveran purses his lips. “Well, I don’t think you’ll have much time for that sort of thing after we’re married. Especially now that my mother has passed, I expect you’ll be quite busy with overseeing the management of the palace, not to mention social engagements and the like.”

“Yes, I’m sure there will be plenty for me to do,”Yuuri says neutrally, trying not to let his disappointment show; it was probably too much to hope that Deveran would allow him to continue his studies. “I’ve had plenty of experience helping my mother run the castle at Hasetsu, as well,” he adds. 

“That’s good, although I _think_ you’ll find that our castle is quite a bit more to manage than you’re used to. But we’ll ease you into it- we have an excellent castellan who can assist you with everything. Tell me though, is it true that in Saga the omega consort actually sits on the King’s council, as well?”

“Ah, yes, that is typical. My mother has always been an important advisor to my father.”

“Really. How quaint! Well don’t worry, I wouldn’t expect my spouse to have to do that. You won’t need to concern yourself with that sort of thing at all,” he says airily, as if he’s doing Yuuri a great favor.

Yuuri just grits his teeth and smiles woodenly.

As the morning wears on, they pass through a series of villages, each one larger than the last. Shortly after they leave the last of these behind, they come up a rise and have a sudden view down into the valley where Erivan sits. Yuuri is impressed despite himself. The city straddles a river, and is indeed _much_ larger than Hasetsu. From their vantage point atop the hill, Yuuri can see that the sprawling city was once smaller; the original walls are still visible, encircling a portion of the city that abuts the river. But over time, the city must have gradually spilled out and over those walls, and now extends in all directions via a patchwork of spoke-like roads and three bridges that span the river with graceful arches. 

Yuuri can see several taller buildings that stand out amidst the motley rooftops, but the one that immediately draws the eye is the royal palace. It’s built out of a rusty red brick, and occupies the very center of the oldest part of the city. Stretching out behind it is a large green swath, which must be the gardens that Victor had spoken of. Under different circumstances, Yuuri would be excited to explore everything; as it is, all he can think of is everything he must leave behind once he passes through those walls. He hopes that none of these emotions are visible on his face. Deveran is watching him closely, talking about the feast that will be prepared in honour of their arrival that night, and Yuuri doesn’t dare to look back at Victor.

They soon descend the hill, and it’s not long at all before they are inside the city itself. The soldiers, who had previously been following behind them, now move to surround Deveran and Yuuri protectively, forcing a path through the crowds that increasingly gather as they make their way deeper in. It takes them some time to reach the heart of the city, and Yuuri is certainly impressed by how large and bustling it is. A clamor of sounds and smells assaults him from all sides, generated by a myriad of people going about their daily business. Quite a few seem to have come out simply to get a glimpse of the prince and his entourage, and Yuuri notes many of them staring and pointing in his direction as well. He sits up straight and does his best to look the part of a royal consort, despite his worn clothing and heavy heart. 

Victor has come a bit closer now, riding at his left and just slightly behind him. He doesn’t say a word to Yuuri, but Yuuri sees his eyes guardedly scanning the press of people as they pass. The crowd, he notes, seems just as excited to see Victor as to see Yuuri and Deveran. Yuuri sees quite a few people exclaiming and pointing at Victor, as well as more than a few admiring glances thrown his way. Deveran seems to see this as well, and his face gradually stiffens into a frown as they progress.

Eventually, they arrive at the palace itself. They pass through a set of gigantic wood doors set in a tall wall, and then they are in a wide courtyard with the palace immediately before them. It’s even more imposing close-up than it was from a distance. The grand main entryway is flanked by two tall octagonal towers, with large wings extending out and back on either side. The great hall, with its vast stained-glass windows, looms over the left-hand wing. Yuuri’s eyes roam over the impressive edifice, taking it all in. 

Next to him, Deveran smiles. “Quite something, isn’t it? Welcome home, my prince.” 

They have only just dismounted from their horses when a messenger arrives and informs them that the King has requested to see Deveran, Victor, and Yuuri immediately. The three of them are therefore instantly bustled off. Yuuri wishes he would have had a bit more time to prepare for this audience; he is weary, heart-sick, and must look a dreadful mess. Nonetheless, he does his best to summon his courage as he follows the two brothers to go meet his future father-in-law. Neither of them speak; Deveran still looks put-out by Victor’s warm reception, and Victor looks tense and withdrawn, darting occasional opaque glances at Yuuri. 

To Yuuri’s relief, the messenger does not bring them to the throne room, instead leading them to a smaller chamber just off of it. King Andrei is sitting at a table writing a letter, and stands to greet them as they arrive. The first thing that Yuuri notices about the man is that he has the same deep blue eyes as his sons. He is dressed in rich velvet robes, and wears a simple gold band of a crown, inset with several sapphires. His hair is grey, and the look on his angular face is one of harried stress that breaks into relief when he sees them. 

“Victor!” he says, crossing the room in a single stride and pulling Victor into a gruff hug. “I thought you had died, my boy.” He pulls back, clasping Victor’s shoulder. “I should have known it would take more than a few rogue Asterans to take you out.”

Victor smiles slightly and ducks his head. “It was a near thing.” He frowns. “Nearer than I’d like.”

“Mm. We shall discuss that. First, however-” The King turns to Yuuri, who tenses under his icy blue gaze. “You must be my new son-in-law. It’s a pleasure to meet you at last, although I regret that it is under the present circumstances.” 

Yuuri proferrs his hand, and drops into a deep formal curtsy. “It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Your Highness,” he says. 

The King inclines his head, briefly scenting the gland at Yuuri’s wrist in a manner that somehow makes the act seem formal rather than intimate. He eyes Yuuri speculatively, and Yuuri does his best not to squirm. 

“I understand that you have been through quite an ordeal,” the King says. “Evidently you and Victor were the only survivors of the attack?”

“Yes, Your Highness, aside from my maid who was taken captive. I would have been taken captive as well, had Sir Victor not come to my rescue. He escorted me the rest of the way here.”

“I see.” The King’s gaze shifts momentarily to his older son, before looking back at Yuuri. “You must be exhausted. I’m afraid my sons and I have much to discuss, and I hope you will not be offended if I suggest you take this opportunity to rest and settle in while we do so.” 

He seems to be looking at Yuuri for an answer, so Yuuri says, “Of course.” He is in fact very reluctant to leave Victor’s presence, but he understands a dismissal when he hears one. Victor’s face is largely impassive, but Yuuri sees a hint of well-concealed concern in his eyes, and wonders if Victor is equally loathe to let Yuuri out of his sight.

“Alright then. Sylvia?” The King looks over to a serving-woman who Yuuri had not previously noticed, hovering in the back of the room. “Please see Prince Yuuri to his chambers, and introduce him to Camilla.”

The woman curtsies, and turns to leave the room. Yuuri realizes that he is meant to follow her, so he also curtsies politely to the three alphas, then follows her. Behind him, Deveran closes the door so that only the faint sound of conversation can be heard. Yuuri is once again frustrated to be excluded from an important conversation, but has no choice but to reluctantly follow the serving-woman. She leads him up two floors and over into the next wing, explaining that this area houses the private chambers of the royal family. They enter a wide hallway, and she points out a set of heavy double-doors that apparently lead into Deveran’s suite. Yuuri has been given rooms at the other end of the hallway.

Yuuri’s set of rooms are lavishly appointed. They consist of two parlors, one with gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows that let in the afternoon light, and a large bedchamber with an elegant balcony overlooking the gardens. The bedchamber contains a massive four-poster bed draped in red velvet curtains, which Yuuri would dearly like to sink into. More than anything else right now, he longs for the sweet oblivion of a dreamless sleep. However, it is not to be.

Instead, he finds himself surrounded and fussed over by a series of highly attentive people. The first is the castellan, Camilla, a cheerful elderly female beta who makes a great fuss over Yuuri, exclaiming multiple times about his “harrowing journey” and eyeing his worn and dirty clothing with distress. She introduces Yuuri to a series of omega maids whose names Yuuri immediately forgets, his mind still sunk in an unhappy stupor. He feels hardly able to make conversation, but fortunately the maids seem content to chatter among themselves as they draw him a bath, and then efficiently strip and scrub him down.

His dirty clothes are whisked away, and replaced by an elegant emerald-green gown. The gown is brought in by a seamstress, who evidently had been commissioned to execute an entire series of gowns for Yuuri and seems rather anxious about it. She takes his measurements, then sets to making a few immediate alterations to the dress, muttering about the difficulty of such last-minute work. Yuuri waits in his undergarments while she sews, maids fussing over his hair and makeup. By the time he is clean, dressed, and presentable once more, Yuuri actually feels more dazed and exhausted than before. He is staring groggily at his reflection in a large mirror, thinking that he hardly recognizes himself, when Deveran arrives to escort him to dinner.

“My dear Yuuri!” he says, striding into the room. “It is certainly a pleasure to see you in something more befitting a Prince of Estemor. I do believe you are missing one final touch, however.” He spreads open a large wooden box he has been carrying. Within it is a frankly gaudy necklace; a veritable froth of diamonds are set within its gleaming gold links. 

“Oh my.” Yuuri says. Deveran seems to expect something more, so he adds, “It’s very… shiny.”

“I should hope so! I had it made especially for you. May I…?”

Yuuri nods, and turns his back so that Deveran can fasten it around his neck. As the clasp clicks closed, he swallows down a wave of bile that threatens to claw its way up his throat. It’s not a collar, such as he might be expected to wear after the wedding. Rather than covering his scent gland, it actually seems designed to draw attention to it, highlighting the lack of a bite mark and therefore Yuuri’s unbonded status. From Yuuri’s tutoring in Estemorian customs, he understands that it’s a piece of jewelry that is only worn by an omega who is engaged, but not yet married. The short duration during which he can wear it makes the expense of it especially extravagant.

Deveran steps closer, running a hand possessively over the necklace and lingering for a moment too long on Yuuri’s scent gland. Yuuri can only partially repress his flinch. 

“Exquisite,” Deveran murmurs. Then he thankfully steps back, and offers Yuuri his arm. “Shall we head to dinner then?” 

With great reluctance, Yuuri takes his arm and allows him to lead him out the door.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Dinner is an ordeal. Yuuri is seated between Deveran and the King, and therefore forced to make polite conversation with both. Deveran enthuses about the upcoming wedding celebrations (he seems particularly focused on a jousting tournament he will be hosting), but occasionally also becomes somewhat moody and withdrawn for no obvious reason. King Andrei, at least, is not a terrible conversational partner. He seems tired and distracted, but he does inquire politely after Yuuri’s family, and seems pleased to hear that Yuuri’s father is healing from his wound. He apparently has fond memories of a trip to Hasetsu when he was younger, and even gets a brief smile on his face when he recalls how he and Yuuri’s father had once done a bit of “carousing” together, which is quite the mental image. 

Victor has not been seated at the high table. He is sitting near the head of one of the many long tables that stretch the length of the hall, talking politely with some other members of the nobility. Yuuri notes that many people seem eager to speak with Victor, although he tries not to watch him too obviously. He realizes sadly that this is what it will be like from now on: watching Victor from a distance, unable to speak to him for fear of giving something away. 

After the first course is brought out, Deveran stands and a hush falls over the room. 

“Welcome, one and all,” he says grandly, raising his glass. “I have some wonderful news to share with you this evening! My fiance, Yuuri Katsuki, who was the victim of a terrible Asteran attack during his journey, has thankfully been safely returned to us.” He looks at Yuuri significantly, who hastily stands and curtseys as all eyes in the room turn to him. 

Deveran’s smile stiffens, as he turns from Yuuri to look down the hall at where Victor sits. “I must give thanks to Sir Victor for bringing him safely to me.” He tilts his glass in Victor’s direction, but the look on his face is anything but grateful. Victor stands and bows formally, before sitting back down.

Deveran nods once at Victor, then looks out to the crowd once more. “I am happy to announce, now that Prince Yuuri has arrived safe and sound, we can forge ahead with the plans for our wedding.” He takes Yuuri’s hand, and Yuuri pastes on a smile. “The Prince and I will be wed the day after tomorrow!” He raises his glass in a toast, and takes a long drink. The Great Hall erupts with clapping and cheers, and Yuuri’s smile falters. He had hoped that the wedding might have been delayed due to the circumstances, but apparently not. 

He sits down as Deveran does, trying not to let his distress show too obviously. Deveran continues talking about plans for the wedding, but Yuuri has a hard time paying attention. He listens and nods politely, trying a bite of each carefully crafted dish that is placed in front of him, but tasting none of it. All he can think is that he desperately wants to get out of there.

Partway through the interminable dinner, a group of musicians arrive to play some music. They begin with several lively instrumental tunes, and then bring out a singer. She is a beautiful beta with long brown hair, and she approaches Yuuri and Deveran and bows low.

“Your Grace, in honor of this happy occasion, I would be delighted to perform a few songs of great romance,” she says. “If that would please your Royal Highnesses?”

Deveran nods disinterestedly, and she rejoins the instrument players and gestures at them to begin. The first song she sings is one that Yuuri recognizes, called “The Fairest Rose”, a rather saccharine ballad about a knight and his fair omega love. It’s not Yuuri’s favorite song, but it’s a classic and he listens politely, thankful to at least have something besides Deveran or the King to focus on. 

After the first song ends, the singer starts up another that Yuuri does not recognize. Unlike the first, this one has a haunting, almost plaintive melody. The singer is accompanied only by a single harp, which highlights the beautiful depth of her voice. Yuuri soon finds himself completely captivated, especially once he realizes that the song is about two star-crossed lovers. It must be a well-known song in Estemor, because Yuuri sees several people nodding along to it. 

The two lovers in the song are princes of warring kingdoms. They yearn to be together, but in the end are forced to go their separate ways. As the singer describes the longing and despair of the lovers, pouring heartfelt sadness into the lilting words, Yuuri feels his chest tighten almost unbearably. The song seems to strike at some place deep inside of him. All the emotions that Yuuri has been repressing well up within him, and all he can do is try not to buckle under the onslaught. He closes his eyes, willing away the tears that would be so dangerous if he let them fall, as she sings the final verse:

No sweeter sin than this exists

My lovers lips, a stolen kiss

My lover’s arms, his sweet caress

We cannot be, yet I confess

My heart it sings, an offbeat rhythm

That clouds all senses when I’m with him

No sweeter sin than this exists

A love that, even when we part, persists

As the song ends, Yuuri can’t help it- he looks at Victor. For a moment, their eyes meet across the great hall and Yuuri sees his own terrible grief reflected back at him. He’s struck by a sudden wild impulse to leap up from his seat and run across the crowded hall, straight into Victor’s arms. But then Victor’s expression changes: his focus snaps from Yuuri to Deveran, and his face closes off like a door being slammed shut.

Yuuri tries to school his own expression, but too late. When he turns, Deveran is looking at him, eyes narrowed. Yuuri’s not sure how much his face gave away before he recalled himself, and he swallows thickly, his throat feeling suddenly tight and dry. His heart hammers in his chest. Deveran just looks at him for a moment, saying nothing, his face difficult to read. Yuuri is frozen, waiting for Deveran to speak, but to his surprise the Prince turns away from him, calling to a servant for more wine before striking up a conversation with the nobleman next to him. Yuuri releases his held breath, and takes a deep gulp from his own wine goblet. 

The musicians go on to play several more songs, which helps relieve some of the tedium as the last courses are brought out. Deveran doesn’t speak to Yuuri again, however, which only makes Yuuri more nervous. He sits quietly, responding when the King occasionally says something to him, otherwise stewing in anxious silence and trying to avoid looking again in Victor’s direction. Deveran mostly ignores him, and drinks more and more wine as the dinner wears on. When the King finally stands to leave, obliging Deveran and Yuuri to leave with him, Yuuri is immensely relieved that the evening is finally over. 

His relief is short-lived, however, for Deveran immediately grabs him by the elbow and insists on escorting him back to his room. The King bids them a polite goodnight, which leaves Yuuri with no choice but to go with Deveran despite his reluctance. Deveran does not speak as they make their way back to the royal residences; he grips Yuuri’s arm tightly, a moody frown on his face. His breath smells strongly of wine.

When they reach the doors to Yuuri’s chambers, Deveran spins Yuuri around to face him, staring intently into his eyes.

“So tell me, Yuuri,” he says, a deceptively casual smile on his face. “Just how well _did_ you get to know my brother during your journey?”

Yuuri, who had been anticipating something like this ever since Deveran caught the look between him and Victor, nonetheless stiffens in fear. He hopes that his face looks surprised and affronted. “I-” 

Deveran immediately cuts him off. “I only wonder, because Victor has a bit of a reputation, you see.” His smile disappears. “A reputation for seducing unwitting omegas. A _reputation_ that I would not want associated with my future husband.” 

Yuuri takes a deep breath, summoning all of the composure he can muster. “I can assure you, you have nothing to worry about,” he says coldly. “Victor was a complete gentleman the entire trip.” This is hardly even a lie; if anyone did the seducing, it was Yuuri.

“Hm.” Deveran stares back at him in a truly unnerving manner, as if he is trying to see inside of him. Whether he believes Yuuri or not is hard to tell. “I very much hope that is true,” he finally says. He reaches up to stroke Yuuri’s cheek in a way that might have been tender if it wasn’t so threatening. “Because once we are married…” his hand slides down the curve of Yuuri’s throat, lingering on the necklace and his scent gland, “...I expect complete loyalty from you.” His hand tightens ever so slightly. “Can you give me that?” 

Yuuri looks Deveran straight in the eye, and lies with all his heart. “Yes. I am completely yours, my prince.” 

Deveran holds his gaze for a moment. “Good. See that you remember it.” He drops his hand, turns on his heel, and walks away. 

Somehow, Yuuri manages to keep his face still as stone as he enters his chambers, and as his maids undress him, brush out his hair, and help him into a long and ridiculously frilly nightgown. It’s only when the last of them have left him finally, blissfully alone that he allows himself to crumple into a heap on the floor and sob.

Yuuri’s not sure how long he cries for. It might be hours, or it might be minutes that just feel like hours. He is heartbroken, totally alone, and exhausted from maintaining the charade that he is not madly in love with Victor. The thought of marrying Deveran in a few days makes him want to vomit. He lays on the floor, too heartsick to even get up and crawl into bed. 

But then, he is suddenly startled out of this fugue-like state by a noise from the balcony. He wonders dully whether someone has come to finish the job they started with the earlier attack, and gets to his feet. Perhaps he ought to run out the door and seek help, but for some reason he instead grabs an unlit candelabra, brandishes it in as threatening a manner as he can manage in a flimsy nightgown with tears still drying on his cheeks, and whips open the curtain in front of the balcony. 

He does not come face-to-face with a hidden assassin. Instead, he is surprised to see Victor, who looks equally startled to find Yuuri holding a candelabra as though he’s about to hit him over the head with it.

“Victor! Oh gods, what are you doing here? I almost hit you!” Yuuri cries.

“Wow, so you did! In retrospect, it should have occurred to me that you might be alarmed to find someone climbing over your balcony in the middle of the night. But I had to see you, and this was the only way for me to get in here unseen.”

Yuuri puts down the candelabra. “How did you get onto my balcony? Did you climb up three stories?”

“I climbed up one story. My rooms are just below yours, and there happens to be a rather conveniently placed vine. I know it’s a terrible cliche for me to steal into your room like this, but I had to speak to you. I-” he pauses, suddenly taking in Yuuri’s appearance. “Are you alright?”

Yuuri bursts into tears again. “Of course I’m not alright! Deveran _suspects_ us, Victor! He saw the way I was looking at you at dinner. It’s all my fault, I should have been more careful, but then there was that damned song and I just-”

“Whoa, whoa,” Victor says gently, stepping forward to take Yuuri into his arms. “Slow down. What exactly did Deveran say?”

Yuuri sniffles. “He… he just asked how well I’d gotten to know you, but the implication was very clear. I lied, of course, and he seemed to accept it but I don’t know if he really believed me.” He clenches Victor’s shirt between his hands, tears still falling down his face. “I’m so sorry. We’ve only been here one day and I’ve already messed up.”

Victor gives Yuuri a gentle squeeze. “Don’t be sorry. It’s alright.”

“No, it’s not! I have to be more careful. I have to be… stronger than this.” Yuuri looks up at Victor with a frown. “And you being in my rooms is terribly dangerous. Why did you come?”

Victor looks back with aching tenderness. “Because I couldn’t bear to leave things how we did. I wanted to say I’m sorry… and that I do understand your reasons for ending this. Your devotion and sense of duty is one of the things I admired about you from the start.”

Yuuri sighs heavily. “I’m sorry too, I didn’t want to hurt you,” he says. “And I have to say… right now, I don’t feel very dutiful.”

“No? How do you feel?”

Yuuri looks up into his beautiful eyes. “Like I’m being torn in two.” And he drags Victor into a passionate kiss. 

Victor returns the kiss with an equally wild fury, pulling Yuuri’s body close against his. They kiss messily, frantically, inhaling each others’ scents as though they’ve been parted for months rather than a single day. The smell of their joint arousal fills the air.

Victor kisses Yuuri’s neck, and Yuuri gasps. “You should go,” he says breathlessly. “It’s not safe.”

“If you want me to go, I will,” Victor says, pressing a kiss to Yuuri’s scent gland. “Tell me to go, Yuuri, and I’ll leave right now.” Yuuri only presses in closer, moaning as Victor trails his hands down his body. The flimsy nightgown does nothing to hide how much Yuuri wants him, and the scent of his slick thickens the air.

Yuuri pulls back momentarily to look Victor in the eyes. All his resistance crumbles in the face of the desperate tenderness he sees there. “Stay,” he says.

Victor groans and presses their bodies back together, gathering up the skirt of Yuuri’s nightgown so that he can run one broad hand over the skin of Yuuri’s thigh. Yuuri tugs Victor backwards towards a desk against the wall, still trading frantic kisses. When they reach the desk, Victor lifts Yuuri up onto it, sending several of the items on it rolling to the floor. Yuuri pulls Victor to him, wrapping his legs around Victor’s waist. Victor groans, pulls up the skirt of Yuuri’s nightgown, and thrusts two fingers into the slick heat of his opening.

Yuuri cries out at the sudden sharp pleasure, arching his back. He pulls at the laces of Victor’s breeches in a near frenzy, clumsily freeing his cock. “Please,” he says as Victor kisses him again and again. “ _Please_.” He spreads his legs wider, desperate to have Victor as close as possible. Victor pulls out his fingers, replaces them with his cock, and thrusts in. Yuuri makes a noise like a wounded animal, and twists his hands in the back of Victor’s shirt with a white-knuckled grip. He wraps his legs around Victor like a vice, gasping in pleasure. Victor thrusts into him again, and again and again until Yuuri is overwhelmed by a pleasure so sudden and intense that it borders on pain. He bites into the flesh of Victor’s shoulder to muffle his cries, and Victor keens. 

Their lovemaking is too passionate and desperate to last long. When Yuuri comes, it feels as though his orgasm is torn out of him, his cock spurting over his nightgown untouched. He watches intently as Victor follows soon after, with a look on the alpha’s face that might be pleasure or might be anguish. For a while, the only sound to be heard afterward is their harsh breathing. Then Victor pulls out, and drops his head down onto Yuuri’s chest. Yuuri feels wetness through the front of his nightgown, and realizes that Victor is silently crying. He wraps his arms around Victor’s shaking shoulders.

“Victor,” he says. Victor looks up at him, his beautiful face a mess of tears. “I love you.” 

Victor smiles the saddest smile Yuuri has ever seen. 

“I’ll always love you,” Yuuri goes on. “I’ll remember these days with you for the rest of my life.” He tries to smile too, but the effect is probably ruined by the tears now gathering in his own eyes. “But I want you to promise me something. Promise me that you won’t throw away a chance to be happy in the future because of me.”

Victor frowns and looks like he’s about to say something, but Yuuri shakes his head and puts his finger to Victor’s lips to silence him. “I don’t have any choice in who I marry, in who I share my life with. But you do. And if someday you meet someone else that you can love, someone who makes you happy… I want you to promise me you’ll try.”

Victor smiles tremulously. “Oh Yuuri. Just when I thought I couldn’t love you any more than I already do, you go and surprise me again. I appreciate what you’re saying, but… my heart is yours,” he says simply. “It always will be.”

“Keep me in your heart, then, as I’ll always keep you in mine. But… don’t give up on ever finding love again. Will you promise me that?” 

Victor looks at him seriously. “You want me to promise not to give up on love?”

Yuuri nods.

“Alright then,” Victor whispers. “I promise.”

For long moments they just hold each other. Eventually, reluctantly, they both pull away.

“You should probably go if-” Yuuri starts to say.

“I shouldn’t stay much-” Victor says at the same time.

They both stop mid-sentence and smile sadly at each other. Victor takes Yuuri’s face in his hands. “I love you,” he says.

Yuuri smiles through his tears. “I love you too.” He presses his face to Victor’s for a kiss, their tears intermingling. He wants to say so much more. He wants to ask Victor to stay, to ask Victor to run away with him, to scream and rage at their situation. 

He doesn’t do any of those things. He just kisses Victor as though he’ll die if he stops, and Victor kisses him back as though he’s dying already. And then they’re trading their last breathless kiss, and then Victor is stepping back onto the balcony, and then he is gone. 

Yuuri casts himself down on his bed and weeps.

  
  


* * *

  
  


The next morning is the day before Yuuri’s wedding, and preparations are in full swing. He had originally packed his own wedding gown; plain silk in the traditional style of Saga, lovingly made by his mother’s best seamstress. That gown is lost now, however, and so he will evidently be walking down the aisle in Deveran’s mother’s old wedding gown. It is a great confection of white lace that is not to his taste at all, but he accepts it as the least of his concerns. The morning is spent with a veritable army of seamstresses flitting about him, taking measurements and making alterations. After that is a meeting with Camilla to discuss the details of the wedding ceremony and feast, which Yuuri can barely pretend to care about. This is followed by a long and tedious formal presentation of Yuuri to the court, and finally another dinner where he and Deveran make icily polite conversation. Victor is nowhere to be seen all day, and Yuuri goes through the motions numbly, as if in a trance.

After Deveran walks him back to his room once more, Yuuri sends his maids away, throws on a cloak, and takes himself out to the gardens. All he can think is that he can’t bear to be alone in his room just now, and he walks deeper and deeper into the maze of lush greenery without particularly looking where he is going. He thinks he might start crying again, but to his surprise no tears actually come. He just feels empty.

It’s not long before Yuuri realizes that he is pretty much lost, and he pauses a moment to try to get his bearings. That’s when he sees a shadowy figure in the gathering dusk, silently flitting from tree to tree. He freezes, partially concealed behind a large ornamental shrub. Something about the person is familiar... Then they pass through an open area where their face is clearly visible for a moment, and Yuuri has to stifle a gasp.

It’s Chiho.

She looks different. She’s wearing tight black pants and a black leather tunic, and her hair is pulled back into a severe bun. But it’s unmistakably Yuuri’s former maid, who he had last seen riding away in the clutches of an Asteran warrior. She doesn’t see Yuuri where he stands frozen in the shadows.

_What on earth is she doing here?_ Yuuri thinks.

As she makes her way deeper into the gardens, he turns and follows her as quietly as he can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm celardor12 on tumblr and twitter. I love comments!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't want to give any spoilers, but see end notes for a TW if you are concerned about that.

Yuuri follows Chiho through the darkening gardens, trying to stay close enough to keep her in sight without giving his presence away. He’s impressed by how quiet she is; at times, she appears to be little more than a slightly more solid shadow moving over the ground. He doesn’t know what her presence here signifies, but he is determined to find out. According to Victor, once she was a captive of the Asterans she should have been given to one of their warriors as a wife. But if that were the case, why would she be here now? Something is definitely not right.

Eventually, deep in the heart of the gardens, Chiho enters a secluded grotto of small trees. Yuuri follows cautiously, then freezes and darts behind a tree when he hears voices ahead.

“You’re late,” says a male voice, irritably

“I had to wait until the guards changed duty. You know it’s absurdly easy to sneak onto the palace grounds? You could use some better security,” Chiho responds. 

“When I want your advice, I’ll ask for it.” 

Yuuri’s blood runs cold. He hadn’t been sure at first, but it’s clear now that the second voice belongs to Deveran. Yuuri leans forward, risking a brief glance around the tree trunk to see into the clearing ahead. Chiho and Deveran stand in the middle of the grove, facing each other. It’s getting quite dark now, and they are mostly visible as inky black silhouettes. Yuuri ducks back behind the tree, listening intently.

“So, do you have the payment?” Chiho asks.

“ _ Payment? _ Are you seriously still expecting to get paid? The whole thing was a disaster.” Deveran sounds incredulous, his voice tight with displeasure.

“Yes, of course I still expect to get paid,” Chiho snaps. _“I_ did my part! I spent _months_ pretending to be a maid, do you have any idea how boring that was? It’s not _my_ fault that Victor survived and Yuuri escaped. Your plan was always a terrible idea, anyhow. I said from the beginning that you should have just paid me to assassinate Victor and be done with it.”

Deveran scoffs. “As if you, an omega, would have been able to kill him. I know you think you’re tough, sweetheart, but you’re not that good.”

“I’m not your sweetheart. And I’d be more than capable of managing that job, believe me. If you’d just hired me to do what I do best, it would be done by now. But no,  _ you _ wanted to play the hero.”

“That’s not- I told you, I needed deniability.”

“Sure. But  _ mostly _ , you wanted to finally prove to Daddy that you’re better than Victor after all, and con poor sweet Yuuri into thanking you for “rescuing” him in the bargain.” Chiho’s voice is laden with scorn. “Instead you allowed Victor to spend a week alone with your fiance. You know they were making moon-eyes at each other from the moment they met?” 

Deveran snarls. “I didn’t  _ allow _ anything to happen. It was  _ your _ job to arrange the ambush. If it failed,  _ you’re _ to blame.” His outburst is surprisingly loud in the quiet stillness of the garden, and he pauses as if collecting himself. There’s a moment of tense silence, in which Yuuri tries to breath as quietly as possible.

“So you’re really not going to pay me?” Chiho finally says.

“No. I’m not.”

There’s another moment of silence. “Fine,” Chiho finally says. “But you’re going to regret this.” 

Before Yuuri can react, Chiho storms out of the grotto. Her face is set in a scowl, and she thankfully doesn’t look behind her at where Yuuri is standing. Yuuri absolutely does not want to be caught here by Deveran, so he takes this opportunity to quietly slip away as well, heading in the opposite direction from Chiho. At first he walks slowly so as to be as quiet as possible, but he moves more quickly the farther he gets from the grove. By the time he sees the palace looming up ahead of him out of the dark, he’s practically running.

He’s shocked by what he’d overheard, but as he turns it over in his head, it begins to make a horrible kind of sense. Deveran is clearly jealous of Victor, and feels threatened by him, thus giving a perfect motive for wanting Victor out of the picture. And as for Chiho, Yuuri had always felt that there was something a bit… odd about her. She had arrived in Hasetsu with very convenient timing after the departure of his previous maid, and presented several excellent references which he supposes now must have been completely fabricated. She had always performed her duties adequately, but had been a strange combination of emotionally detached and yet overly familiar. And to think that all that time she had just been… pretending, and plotting against him. Yuuri thinks bitterly of how concerned he had been for her well-being. Apparently it wasn’t necessary in the slightest.

Some details of the plot remain murky, however. What had Chiho meant by Deveran wanting to “play the hero”? If the plan was only to kill Victor, what had Deveran planned to do with Yuuri? These questions are important, but the first thing that Yuuri needs to do is find Victor and tell him everything he’d overheard; then they can figure out the next steps to take together. One thing is certain, however: Yuuri has no intention whatsoever of marrying Deveran now. 

When he reaches the palace, he pauses for a moment to pull himself together. It won’t do for any servants or guards to see him running about flustered and upset. He doesn’t want to give Deveran any reason to suspect he knows anything until he and Victor can speak and figure out a plan. So he takes a few deep breaths to slow his racing heart, then walks back to the residential wing of the palace sedately, as though he’s just enjoyed a calming evening walk.

He doesn’t go to his own rooms, however, instead making his way up to the second floor. Victor had said that his room was below Yuuri’s, so it’s not difficult to figure out which is his. When Yuuri locates the door that he believes ought to be Victor’s, he is surprised to find it slightly ajar. He cautiously pushes it open, to find that the room is empty. It’s definitely Victor’s, however; Yuuri recognizes his armor on a stand in the corner. Suddenly he hears a noise behind him, and whirls around to see his fiance standing behind him in the hallway.

“Well, well, well...” says Deveran. His face is shadowed in the dim torchlight, his expression difficult to make out. They’re completely alone; there are no servants or guardsmen to be seen here at this time of night. Yuuri takes a reflexive step back.

“Fancy seeing you here,” Deveran says with a tight-lipped smile. “I was hoping to speak to my brother- I have a few questions for him.”

Yuuri doesn’t know how to respond, so he says nothing. His heart is racing; he’s not sure how much danger he’s in, but his safest bet right now is probably to act like he knows nothing. From what he’d overheard of Chiho and Deveran’s conversation, it doesn’t sound like Deveran ever wanted  _ him _ dead.

“I suppose you’re looking for Victor as well?” Deveran asks. “I think  _ that _ may just answer my questions after all.” He abruptly lurches forward and grabs Yuuri’s arm. “Come, Yuuri, I think we have a few things to discuss, you and I,” he says.

Yuuri blanches. “I don’t know if-”

“Oh come now, I just want to talk,” Deveran says coaxingly. The thunderous look on his face belies his words, however. His grip around Yuuri’s arm is like iron, and before Yuuri knows it he’s been half lead, half dragged, out of the room, back through the corridor, and up a flight of stairs. Yuuri goes with him, frozen in uncertainty and unwilling to provoke the alpha when he’s clearly in a volatile mood. When they reach the doors to Deveran’s rooms, however, Yuuri balks at entering. 

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for us to be in your rooms alone,” he says, as if a respect for proper decorum will somehow save him.

“Appropriate? And I suppose it was entirely  _ appropriate _ for you to be in Victor’s rooms all alone? What were you doing there, I wonder?” Deveran’s voice is cold and his face is a mask of poorly concealed anger.

“I-”

“Don’t bother,” Deveran hisses. “I know  _ exactly _ what you were doing.” And he grabs Yuuri’s arm with a sudden violence and drags him into his suite, slamming the door behind them.

Yuuri gasps in shock. “Let go of me!” he cries, yanking himself out of Deveran’s grip. He’s dismayed to see that Deveran, who is much larger than he, is between himself and the exit. He curses himself for letting the alpha drag him in here; he should have just run when Deveran first found him. But… run to where? Victor is the only person here he can trust, and he doesn’t know where Victor is right now. Yuuri slowly backs away from Deveran and the seething look on his face.

“You have some nerve trying to play coy with me,” Deveran sneers, “after you’ve been sneaking around with my brother this whole time. I suppose you think I’m an idiot who couldn’t see what was right in front of me?”

Yuuri shakes his head frantically. “I think there’s been some misunderstanding-”

“I really don’t think so.” Deveran snaps. He glares at Yuuri sullenly for a moment, then turns abruptly to swipe a decanter of wine off a nearby table. Yuuri watches anxiously as he pours the blood-red liquid into a pair of goblets. Deveran holds one out to Yuuri. “Care for a drink?”

Yuuri shakes his head mutely, completely unsure of how to extract himself from this situation. He keeps one eye on the door as Deveran shrugs, then lifts his goblet in the air in a mocking toast. “To our marriage,” he says bitterly, before taking several deep swigs. After draining the goblet, Deveran slams the empty vessel down on the table; Yuuri flinches reflexively. The alpha wipes a hand across his mouth, then begins to advance on him, a nasty gleam in his eye. “So, when exactly did you start fucking my brother?”

Yuuri takes a step backwards. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he tries, hoping his voice isn’t shaking too much. “And I don’t appreciate being dragged into your room like this. I’d like to leave now,” he adds defiantly. 

“I don’t think so. Not until you answer my questions.” Deveran continues to advance. “How long have you and Victor been sneaking around?”

“I told you, I haven’t-”

Deveran suddenly lunges forward and grabs his arm again in a painfully tight grip. “Stop lying to me!” he yells. “I smelled him on you the moment we picked you up, you little whore. I tried to give you a chance to behave, but it seems you need a lesson on who you really belong to.” With that, he turns and hauls Yuuri back into his bedroom. Yuuri cries out, struggling in vain in his grasp, and Deveran backhands him across the face and throws him down onto the enormous bed. 

Deveran steps back for a moment, breathing heavily, and Yuuri puts his hand to the corner of his mouth; it comes away bloody. His head is ringing from the blow. “You are insane if you think I’m still going to marry you after this,” he says in a voice tight with fury.

Deveran sneers. “Oh I think you will. I don’t think you have any choice in the matter. You can marry me, or you can watch your entire family get slaughtered without the protection of our army.” He’s swaying slightly now, and Yuuri wonders vaguely how much he had to drink prior to this. His hands move to his belt buckle. “You know, I was looking forward to our wedding night. But since it turns out you’re just a whore, I don’t see why I should have to wait.” 

Yuuri tries to leap up from the bed, but Deveran grabs him and slams him back down. Yuuri sees stars, and cries out in pain and fury. He struggles frantically as Deveran pins him down on the bed and yanks his skirts up around his waist. In the midst of Yuuri’s panic and fear, he suddenly remembers something Victor had once said:  _ “If you really want to stop an alpha in his tracks, your best bet is probably just to kick him in the groin.” _

Yuuri looks for an opening, pulls his leg back, and kicks Deveran in the groin as hard as he possibly can.

Deveran caves in on himself, collapsing to the floor with a satisfying “oomph”. Yuuri leaps to his feet again, backing away from the writhing alpha and moving towards the door. He’s prepared to turn and flee, but finds himself pausing at the threshold between the bedchamber and the outer room. Something’s not right with Deveran. He’s still lying on the floor, and now he’s gasping for breath and his limbs are twitching in an unnerving manner. Yuuri is quite certain he didn’t hit him  _ that _ hard. 

It’s then that a second person materializes out of the shadows in the corner of the room: Chiho. Yuuri gasps and freezes.

She narrows her eyes, tilts her head, and looks down at Deveran. “Feeling a little short of breath?” she asks.

Deveran wheezes, eyes bulging in mute rage, limbs spasming as if in some bizarre dance. 

Chiho turns to Yuuri and smiles. “Hello Yuuri! Nice to see you again.”

Yuuri glances between her and Deveran, who is still flopping on the floor like a fish, and now rapidly turning an unsettling shade of blue. “What- what did you do to him?”

She looks down at Deveran with a pleased expression. “Poison in the wine. He’ll be dead in a couple of minutes. I was worried for a moment there that you were going to take a glass too! Then I would have had to intervene and kill him the messy way instead.” She gestures at the dying alpha, who is now mostly just twitching feebly. “This is much neater- it’ll look as though his heart just gave out.”

Yuuri blinks, completely astonished at the sudden turn of events. He tries briefly to summon a measure of pity for Deveran, but finds this to be nearly impossible after the events of the evening. “Who… who are you?” he asks Chiho dazedly.

“I’m a… hired hand, you could say. Deveran commissioned me to help plan the attack that was supposed to kill Victor. But you already know that. That  _ was _ you in the garden, wasn’t it?”

Yuuri pales. 

“Thought so,” she says. “Look, I hope you don’t take all this too personally, Yuuri. I actually like you.” Her smile is sharp and predatory. “Especially after seeing you kick Deveran in the balls. That  _ was _ satisfying.”

“But- but you were working for him,” Yuuri says in bewilderment. 

“Well yes, but then he refused to pay me, and I  _ don’t  _ work for free.” Deveran lets out a final horrible gurgle and then lays still. Chiho looks at him dispassionately. “Also he was a real son of a bitch,” she adds. Yuuri can’t argue with that.

“So…you arranged the attack with the Asterans…” he says, still trying to wrap his head around everything that has happened. He’s not sure whether Chiho is a danger to him or not, but there seems no harm in keeping her talking.

“Yes, I have some contacts in Astera and it wasn’t difficult to get them on board,” Chiho says. “They hate Victor and were eager to take you as a hostage.”

“Then, the plan was to have the Asterans kill Victor and the other guards, and capture me… and then what?” he asks.

Chiho sighs and rolls her eyes. “And then Deveran would come riding in with his knights and kill all the Asterans and “rescue” you and I. All in the hope of finally doing something grand and heroic that would make everyone like him. The Asterans didn’t know that was the plan, of course. They thought they were just going to hold you hostage against your family to make their invasion of Saga all the easier.”

Yuuri stares at her for a moment. “So... you were going to betray not only Victor and I, but also the Asterans who you’d roped into the plot. But then you betrayed Deveran instead, when he wouldn’t pay you.”

“Pretty much,” she says blithely. “You’re welcome, by the way. For killing Deveran. Now you and dear Victor can be together, and isn’t that what you want?”

“I don’t think I should be thanking you,” Yuuri says coldly. “That attack killed a lot of innocent people, and Victor nearly died. And you would have just killed Victor too, if Deveran had hired you to do that instead, wouldn’t you?” he asks in disgust.

“Sure. I mean I am a spy and an assassin for hire,” she says with a shrug. “I like Victor but you can't be sentimental in my line of work.”

Suddenly, the door to the outer room is thrown open. Yuuri’s heart practically sings when he sees Victor rush in, followed closely by King Andrei. “Deveran!” the King says loudly. “Where are you? Victor has just told me something that I very much do not want to believe. You had better have an explanation for-”

The King and Victor stride into the bedroom, and both freeze in shock at the sight that greets them: Deveran sprawled dead on the floor, Chiho and Yuuri turning to stare at the newcomers in surprise.

“Well, this is awkward.” Chiho says.

“Deveran!” cries the King. He runs to the still body, dropping to the floor and feeling for a pulse. When he fails to find one, he whirls around to face Yuuri and Chiho. “What have you done?” 

Before Yuuri can respond, Chiho raises her hand. “I’m afraid that was me. Yuuri had no part in it, unless you count kicking Deveran in the balls. Oh, don’t look so upset Your Highness. Before you get all choked up, you may want to know that Deveran hired me to help kill Victor. I’ve done you a favor really.” She gestures at Victor, who looks utterly stupefied. “That one will make a much better king anyways.”

The King’s face is completely horrified. “Victor!” he cries. “Seize this woman at once!”

Before Victor can take a step forward, however, Chiho lunges at Yuuri, producing a dagger out of nowhere and pressing it to his throat. Yuuri freezes in shock, and she drags him back so that they are standing just in front of a balcony at the back of the room. Victor, looking utterly frantic, makes an abortive movement to follow them, but she tightens her grip on the knife. “Ah ah ah…,” she says. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. This knife is poisoned. One nick, and Yuuri here will be just as dead as his fiance.” In Yuuri’s ear, she adds, “Sorry dear. Like I said, I'm not sentimental.” She raises her voice again. “And now, I think I shall be going. Maybe someday we'll meet again.”

Victor stares her down. “If we do, you'll be dead.”

Chiho smiles. “We'll see.”

Then she shoves Yuuri forward and leaps out and over the balcony. Victor immediately rushes to Yuuri’s side. “Are you hurt?” he cries, frantically patting him all over.

“I’m fine,” Yuuri assures him. “She’s getting away!”

Victor dashes out onto the balcony, looks over its edge, and swears. “I don’t see her. But she can’t have gotten far.” He makes as though preparing to climb down as well, when suddenly the King says, “Wait.”

“But- she’s going to escape!” Victor says, gesturing over the balcony.

The King is still kneeling on the floor, gazing at the face of his dead son. He looks ashen. “Yes. Let her,” he says distractedly. He reaches out and gently closes Deveran’s eyes.

“But… why? She just admitted to planning the attack.” Victor looks helplessly down at his father and his dead brother.

The King sighs with a terrible weariness. “Yes, at Deveran’s orders. Think about it for a moment Victor. What would we do with her if you caught her? If she were to stand trial, then all of Deveran’s exploits would come to light.”

Victor frowns. “Perhaps they should.”

The King shakes his head firmly. “No. Deveran may have been a dangerous fool, but he was my son and I will not have his name dragged through the mud. What’s more, we cannot allow our enemies to discover that he tried to have you killed and then was poisoned by his own hired assassin. It would make us look weak, and we cannot afford that.”

“But-”

“This is my final word.” The King’s face is set in stone. He stares Victor down, somehow managing to look kingly and iron-willed even on his knees. Eventually Victor nods once, curtly. 

“Good,” says the King. “Now, we need to move quickly before anyone else comes in and sees this. Yuuri, I need you to go back to your room at once. You were never here tonight.”

Yuuri gulps, looking to Victor unsurely, but Victor just nods at him. Before he can leave the room, however, the King says, “Wait. How did she administer the poison?”

“It was in the wine, Your Highness.”

“I see. And did she say anything more about it?”

“She… she said that it would look as though his heart had simply failed.”

“Ah. Deveran’s mother died of a sudden heart failure. I suppose she knew that.” For a moment, the King looks terribly sad. Then his face becomes stony and authoritative once more. “Thank you Yuuri, you may go. Victor, dispose of that wine and go fetch the healer. We will have to say that we came in to speak with him and found him like this.”

When Yuuri and Victor both hesitate, the King says more forcefully, “Go, both of you! Now!”

With a start, they both turn and walk back into the outer room, leaving the King alone with the body of his son. He suddenly looks very old and very tired. 

Victor turns to Yuuri. “There’s so much we need to talk about, but I suppose now isn’t the time. My father is right, you should go back to your room and act as though nothing has happened. Are you alright? Can you do that?” His face is full of concern.

Yuuri nods, and reaches out to squeeze his hand briefly. “I’m okay. I’ll… see you soon?”

“Absolutely.” Victor squeezes his hand back, then cracks the outer door open and looks into the hallway. “There’s no one there- you should go now,” he says.

Yuuri agrees, and hastens back to his own room, where he changes into his nightgown with shaking hands and crawls into bed. Now that the shock is wearing off, he feels utterly exhausted. He keeps recalling the feel of Deveran’s hands on him, juxtaposed with the horrible mottled blue of his face as he died. He shivers and pulls the blankets more tightly around himself. His emotions are a confused muddle. He feels horror at what he experienced and witnessed, but also relief: the fear of his impending marriage has been suddenly and completely removed. What this means for him and Victor, however… he’s not yet sure. His mind is full of myriad worries and possibilities, and he doesn’t even bother to try to sleep.

  
  


* * *

  
  


In the small hours of the morning, he’s startled out of his stupor by the sudden entrance of two of his maids. They’re both extremely worked up, one openly weeping, and Yuuri immediately assumes that news of Deveran’s death must be spreading. The more composed of the pair rushes to Yuuri to tell him tremulously that Deveran has been found dead. “They are saying that his heart gave out!” she cries, wringing her hands. “What a horrible tragedy… and on the day of your wedding too!” 

Yuuri realizes, belatedly, that he probably ought to show some distress at the news, and so he gamely makes a show of looking shocked and upset. He  _ is _ still in some shock from the night’s events, so that much at least comes naturally. The maids help him dress, and inform him that he’s been asked to meet with the King right away. As soon as he is more or less presentable, one of them leads him once more to the King’s private meeting room.

As it turns out, the King and Victor are both awaiting him there. The maid, whose eyes are still watery, leaves Yuuri alone with them. Victor leaps to his feet the moment Yuuri enters, taking several steps towards him as if the embrace him and then freezing awkwardly as he remembers they are not alone. He settles on a stiff bow instead. “Yuuri. I hope you are well this morning,” he says, glancing back at the King who is watching all this carefully.

“As well as can be, I think,” Yuuri replies.

“Please, have a seat,” the King says. “We have several matters to discuss.” He looks as though he has not slept all night either, and his eyes are grim and red-rimmed. He speaks gravely, yet with a certain calm authority that Yuuri finds admirable in the current circumstance. Yuuri does as asked, sitting gingerly on a plush chair and trying not to fidget with his hands. He has the feeling that this meeting will determine a great many things about his future, and finds himself feeling quite nervous. 

“Well,” the King says heavily. “I think I must start by asking you to recount what exactly happened between yourself, Deveran, and that woman last night, Yuuri.”

Yuuri swallows nervously and nods. He decides that honesty is probably the best course of action at this point, and so he gives the King a full accounting of the conversation he had overheard in the garden, and explains that he had immediately sought out Victor to tell him about it.

“When I reached Victor’s room, Deveran was there instead. He… became angry with me,” Yuuri says, glancing briefly at Victor. He’s not sure exactly how much the King knows or guesses about his relationship with Victor, so he decides to gloss over some of the details. “He was upset to find me there, and brought me back to his room to… to talk, he said. But then…” here, he risks another glance at Victor who is looking increasingly concerned, “he… tried to force himself on me.” 

At this, Victor gasps in outrage and his father gets a grim look on his face. “Go on,” says the King.

“I… resisted his advances,” Yuuri says carefully. “But then he began to act strangely, and that was when Chiho appeared and told me that she had poisoned the wine.” He recounts the rest of his conversation with Chiho, only leaving out her comments about him and Victor. When he is finished talking, there is a long silence. The King appears to be deep in thought, and Victor looks as though he would very much like to murder Deveran all over again. 

Eventually, the King speaks. “Your account matches what the woman calling herself “Chiho” said. It also matches with something that Victor had discovered earlier that evening.”

Victor nods. “The reason I wasn’t in my room when you came to look for me is because I was meeting with my father. As you know, I’ve been seeking information about the origins of the attack. One of my contacts, a man named Christophe Giacometti, frequently trades in useful intelligence. He was able to tell me that earlier in the year, Deveran had been frequenting a local… house of ill repute. However, he wasn’t spending time with any of the omegas who worked there, but rather meeting secretly with an unknown woman.” 

“Chiho!” Yuuri says.

Victor nods. “Evidently. Chris’s spy also saw someone else join one of their meetings, a man known to be a talented forger of documents. The spy later attempted to follow Chiho after she left the meeting, and was never seen again. At that point, Chris decided it was not worth the danger to keep investigating. I spoke to the brothel’s owner, however, and the woman’s description matched what I recalled of your maid. Then I tracked down the forger. After some… persuasion, he confessed that he had been paid to forge documents of employment for the woman, which would make it appear as though she had worked as an omega’s maid in two noble houses. The letters were written for a woman named Chiho.”

“I remember reading them,” Yuuri says with a frown. “Chiho told me that she had grown up in Saga, but worked in Estemor for several years. The letters from her former employers seemed to prove as much. Now we know where she got them.”

“I did not want to believe it at first,” says the King. “I knew Deveran could be foolish and even cruel at times, and I knew how much he resented Victor, but I didn’t imagine that he would stoop to such a low and vile plot. However, the evidence clearly suggested he had at the very least planted a spy among your retinue. I decided to confront him at once… and you know the rest.” He sighs wearily. “I’m afraid I must take some of the blame for what happened… I should have kept better control over Deveran. Perhaps I allowed his mother too much influence over him when he was younger, I don’t know. I fear I have been a poor father to both of you, in the end,” he adds, looking at Victor sorrowfully.

Victor’s expression is difficult to interpret. His face is tight with repressed emotion, but he says nothing as he returns his father’s gaze.

“In any case,” the King continues heavily, “What’s done is done. Deveran is dead and that is punishment enough for his crimes. Now, we must figure out what happens next.” He pauses, and looks from Yuuri to Victor, and back again. “As you may know, Deveran was my only immediate heir. The law of this Kingdom states that the King must be an alpha of royal blood… which presents me with a bit of a difficult situation.” 

Victor is sitting very still, watching his father carefully as he speaks. “In this scenario,” the King continues, “there are two possibilities. One is that I could name an heir from among my distant relations. Neither of my siblings are alphas, nor are any of their children. Therefore this heir would have to be a distant cousin at best. No matter who I chose, it would create a great deal of dissatisfaction and grievances on various sides. Also, none of the potential candidates have yet had sufficient training in governance or military strategy. Our Kingdom’s enemies, of which I am afraid we have many, would correctly interpret this as a moment of weakness and act accordingly.”

He pauses for a moment, leaving a weighty silence into which neither Victor nor Yuuri dare speak. The King turns to Victor, looking him straight in the eyes. “Therefore,” he continues, “I have decided to choose option number two. Victor, you will be fully legitimized and named Heir to the Crown of Estemor.”

For a moment, Victor looks utterly overcome. Then he stiffens and drops to his knee on the floor. “Father, this is an honor I could not have foreseen.” Tears are gathering in his eyes. “I do not know how to thank you-”

The King reaches down to rest his hand on Victor’s shoulder. “You can thank me by being a good king someday,” he says gruffly. “I fear you will find it is not an easy job.” Victor nods, runs a quick hand over his eyes, and returns to his seat. His eyes meet Yuuri’s, and Yuuri can tell they are both wondering the same thing:  _ What does this mean for us? _

“Victor, you and I will have much to discuss, but for now there is just one more item,” the King says. He turns his sharp gaze on Yuuri. “And that is the question of our alliance with Saga.”

Yuuri swallows. Victor is staring at his father intensely.

“Prince Yuuri, I would still very much like to finalize the treaty between our two Kingdoms,” the King says. “I believe it is still in everyone’s best interests, perhaps now more than ever. And so I must ask… would you consent to marry Victor in place of Deveran?”

For a moment the world seems to stand still. Yuuri is not exactly sure what expression crosses his face; it probably gives too much away, but he is too overcome with happiness to be guarded. He can hardly believe what is happening. “Y-yes, Your Highness,” he stutters. “I would most certainly be willing.” He looks at Victor, who is smiling incredulously and practically vibrating out of his chair.

The King looks back and forth between the two of them, and sighs. “Well, that’s one less thing to worry about then. We will have to wait an appropriate amount of time to announce it, of course.” He stands abruptly. “Now I will let you both go, as I have quite a lot still to get done this morning. Victor, I expect to see you in court in a couple of hours.”

Victor nods and stands, and Yuuri does so as well, still unable to believe their sudden change of fortune. Victor looks similarly shocked as he turns to walk Yuuri out of the room. The King just looks exhausted, and resigned. “One more thing, before you go,” he says. 

They both turn around. The King looks at the two of them with a gaze that misses nothing. “The wedding will not be held for several months. It would raise quite a few eyebrows if your first child was born any sooner than nine months thereafter. Is that a possibility that I need to worry about?”

Yuuri feels his entire face flush a deep scarlet. At his side, Victor looks little better. “No, Your Highness,” Yuuri says with as much dignity as he can muster. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

“Good,” says the King. “Then you’re both dismissed. I have a funeral to plan.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


Victor walks Yuuri back to his room in silence. Yuuri’s mind is racing with things he wants to say to him, none of which should be said in a corridor where someone might overhear. Once they are safely behind closed doors, however, Yuuri practically throws himself into Victor’s arms and gives him a long and passionate kiss.

“Mmmph!” says Victor. When he can draw breath again, he says, “I take it that means you are not displeased with the change to your marriage agreement?”

“Not displeased?” Yuuri says with an incredulous laugh and a wide smile. “Nothing in the world would make me happier! Did you know your father was going to suggest that?”

Victor shakes his head, his smile matching Yuuri’s. “No, although I did hope he might. I didn’t know he was planning to legitimize me either, although I understood it was a possibility.”

Yuuri looks into his eyes with love. “You will make an excellent king. Far better than Deveran ever would have.”

“I shall try my best,” Victor says seriously. Then his face darkens. “I’m so sorry that I wasn’t in my room last night when you came looking for me, Yuuri. I should have been there to protect you. When I think about what Deveran tried to do… if Chiho hadn’t murdered him, I’m afraid I might have done so myself.” 

Yuuri shakes his head. “It’s not your fault. It was… horrible, but in the end I was hardly even hurt. I suppose I ought to feel some pity for Deveran, even; it seemed a terrible way to die. But after learning that he tried to have you killed, I can’t say I’m all that sorry about it.”

“Nor can I,” Victor admits. “Though it grieves me to say that about my own brother. In fact, I suspected almost from the beginning that he might have been involved in the attack. I was saddened to learn the truth, but not terribly surprised.”

“Do you think people will truly believe that he died of heart failure?” Yuuri asks.

Victor sighs. “I hope so, but I am certain that there will be some who find it suspicious. And there will certainly be those who oppose me being named my father’s heir. It’s not at all usual, and there is guaranteed to be pushback from certain quarters. This will greatly complicate both of our lives from here on out... I’m afraid that being my husband may not be easy, Yuuri.”

“That may be, but I’d never choose otherwise,” Yuuri says with certainty. “From now on, your complications will be mine.”

“Oh, Yuuri. I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you,” Victor says softly, gathering Yuuri into his arms. “This still doesn’t feel real.”

“I know, I can hardly believe it myself,” Yuuri agrees. “Just yesterday I thought I’d never hold you or kiss you ever again.”

“I feared the same,” Victor says. “Although, I meant it when I promised not to give up on our love. Even then I hoped I might discover something that could prevent your marriage.”

“So that’s what you meant by your promise?” Yuuri asks with a laugh. 

Victor smiles down at him. “Yes. I know it’s not what you intended at the time, but it’s a promise I mean to keep. I love you Yuuri.”

“I love you too.” Yuuri sighs, and allows himself to relax into Victor’s arms, both of them smiling in disbelief.

After the stress and fear of the last several days, Yuuri feels practically lightheaded with relief and happiness. Victor’s arms are warm around him, and his heart is full. He knows that there is still a long and difficult road ahead of them, yet as his lips meet Victor’s in a kiss, he is certain that there is no one else with whom he would rather face all that the future holds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: This chapter contains the brief attempted rape.
> 
> Well... this story is nearly complete! Last chapter (which will basically be an epilogue) will be up next Sunday.   
> I LOVE getting comments, they're what make me keep writing!  
> I'm celardor12 on tumblr and twitter.


	8. Epilogue

Yuuri sighs in relief as the door to their bedchamber closes behind them. He allows himself to sag against the door for a moment, weighed down by exhaustion and the many yards of white fabric that constitute his wedding gown. To his right, Victor sighs, sounding just as tired as Yuuri feels, and slumps bonelessly into a padded chair. Their bedchamber is beautifully appointed, although the style of the furnishings still feels a bit foreign to Yuuri. He’s sent for a few items from Hasetsu, and hopes that their arrival will begin to make the room feel a bit more like his own. At least they had successfully avoided taking Deveran’s old suite of rooms; although they were traditionally set aside for the crown prince, Victor had argued it would appear in bad taste for him to move in so soon after his brother’s death. Yuuri agreed, much relieved because he couldn’t set foot in those rooms without remembering the horrible events that had transpired there several months ago. 

Victor looks up at Yuuri from his seat. “My dear, you look rather done in. I hope you’re not  _ too  _ tired tonight?”

Yuuri smiles. “Oh, I think I’ll get a second wind. That feast certainly was exhausting, though.”

Victor nods in agreement. The whole day, in fact, has been exhausting. It started early this morning, when Yuuri was woken before dawn to begin preparations for the wedding. It had taken a ridiculously long time to complete his hair, makeup, and get dressed. Then the wedding ceremony itself, held in the soaring central cathedral of Erivan, had also been a long and tedious affair. Yuuri had been thoroughly coached in what to do, and was therefore prepared for the various rituals interspersed with several long sermons by the priest. He sat through it all patiently, speaking a few words at the appropriate times and hoping that he was not obviously sweating through the satin of his wedding gown under the watchful gaze of the entire court. Every time he looked at Victor, however, the wonder and love he had seen on his face had been all the encouragement he needed to keep going. When they were finally presented to the waiting court as “His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Estemor, Viktor Maveris, and His Most Beloved Consort, Prince Yuuri Katsuki”, Yuuri mostly just felt relieved that the ceremony was finally over. The ritual that truly mattered to him, after all, was the one that would take place tonight in private.

After the ceremony was the feast, and that was in its own way even more tiring. The food and entertainment was spectacular, but Yuuri hardly felt he had the chance to enjoy much of it because he was so busy dealing with the _ people.  _ The entire court was in attendance plus a great many guests, and it seemed that every single one of them wanted to congratulate the new heir and consort. These congratulations would inevitably be followed by some variety of request, appeal, or attempt at currying favor that soon became exhausting. Victor endured it all with good cheer, but by the end of the evening Yuuri could see his smile becoming a bit forced. Perhaps even worse, however, were those who pointedly did  _ not _ offer their congratulations, or who did so with barbed compliments and thinly veiled suspicion. As Victor had predicted, not everyone was pleased with his being named the heir, and a few clearly found the circumstances of Deveran’s death suspicious (for which Yuuri could admit he hardly blamed them). All in all, it had been an exhausting affair, and Yuuri is very grateful to now be ensconced in the privacy of his own room with his new husband.

Yuuri watches as Victor carefully removes his golden circlet and sets it down on a nearby table. “I’m still not used to wearing this thing,” Victor says, running his finger around its rim pensively.

“You look very handsome in it,” Yuuri says, which is the truth. 

Victor smiles up at him. “Speaking of handsome, have I told you how absolutely ravishing you look?” he asks.

Yuuri laughs, although he can’t help but preen a little. “Yes, you have. And I’ll repeat what I said earlier, which is that this dress may be beautiful but it’s ungodly heavy.” This is no exaggeration; the gown, which was made new for Yuuri over the past few months, is constructed of numerous layers of white satin, floating over a vast array of ruffled underskirts that give the whole thing a ridiculous amount of volume. The bodice, by contrast, is quite tight, with short shimmering slips of fabric in place of sleeves. It is evidently all the fashion these days, although Yuuri had initially felt awkward having his shoulders so exposed.

Victor gets to his feet, and approaches Yuuri with a smile and an almost predatory air. He catches Yuuri around the waist and backs him up against the door, leaning down so that his lips are almost on Yuuri’s. “In that case, perhaps we had better get you out of it,” he murmurs.

“That will be easier said than done,” Yuuri mutters, but he lifts his face to press their mouths together in a languid meeting of lips and tongue that slowly gets more heated as their desire builds.

“I must say, it’s wonderful to finally have my husband all to myself,” Victor says.

“Yes,” Yuuri agrees, “although we were alone just last night.”

“But you weren’t my husband last night,” Victor says, trailing kisses over Yuuri’s neck and making him squirm. “And now that you are, we no longer have to sneak around.”

Yuuri has to concede that Victor has a point. The last few months have been rather trying in that regard, as they’ve had to be circumspect about their relationship for the sake of propriety. Which is not to say that they haven’t managed quite a few private liaisons; but these have increasingly felt woefully insufficient. Yuuri’s also had to spend his last couple of heats alone, which was never a particular burden for him in the past but which now felt like torture; knowing that Victor was nearby and yet unreachable. Neither of them had forgotten the King’s admonition to them about avoiding an early pregnancy, however, and so they had both accepted that they would not be able to share another heat together until they were wedded. In fact, they had timed the wedding so that Yuuri would go into heat directly afterward. He’s felt it gradually building all day, and now that he’s alone with Victor it’s impossible to ignore anymore.

Victor inhales the scent at Yuuri’s neck and groans. “Gods, you smell delectable. You’re going into heat right now, aren’t you?” he asks.

Yuuri nods, pressing his head back against the door and arching his neck to expose as much skin as possible for Victor’s questing mouth. “I hadn’t meant to cut it quite so close. It’s your fault really- I’m still not used to how quickly I go into heat when you’re around.”

Victor chuckles. “I’ve noticed. I was half afraid you were going to go into full heat in the middle of the wedding feast. It would have been a bit awkward to have to explain to everyone that I couldn’t stay to celebrate because I needed to go ravish my husband.”

Yuuri’s knees go a bit weak at the word “ravish”, and the sweet scent of his heat intensifies. He pushes himself away from the door, and finds Victor’s mouth with his own once more. He guides Victor backwards towards the bed, trading urgent kisses and caresses as they go. When they reach the foot of the bed, Victor turns them and pushes Yuuri to sit down on it, then sinks to his knees on the floor before him. The hunger on his face is intense, and Yuuri bites his lip and spreads his thighs. 

Victor groans, and bends to remove Yuuri’s slippers, caressing and massaging the soles of his feet as he does. He runs a hand up one of Yuuri’s bare legs, and then the other. Then he gathers Yuuri’s skirts (which is no mean feat, there are a  _ lot _ of skirts), and buries his head between Yuuri’s thighs where Yuuri is rapidly soaking through his flimsy white panties. Yuuri gasps as Victor puts his mouth on him, making the panties even wetter. Victor laps his tongue over Yuuri’s length in a broad stroke, then pulls away to nip teasingly at the tender flesh of Yuuri’s inner thighs. Yuuri squirms and whines, and Victor relents and pulls the panties aside to press his tongue to Yuuri’s dripping entrance. Yuuri moans unashamedly, throwing one leg over Victor’s shoulders and holding on to one of the bedposts as he rolls his hips against Victor’s obliging mouth. Victor tongues at him messily, using one hand to spread Yuuri’s thighs wide and the other to stroke his cock in a blissful rhythm. Yuuri sinks into the sensation, and it’s not at all long before he comes hard, thighs clenching around Victor and his grip on the bedpost turning white.

When Victor stands again and leans in for a kiss, Yuuri can taste himself on his lips. Their mouths meet in a wild press of tongues, Yuuri immediately feeling desperate for more as his heat hits him in full force. Victor still has a hand up his dress, and slips his fingers into Yuuri’s slick opening, making Yuuri’s legs shake in overstimulation. Yuuri gently pushes Victor away to stand at the foot of the bed, then drops to his knees before him, skirts billowing out around him on the floor. He looks up at Victor through heavy lashes. “I love your mouth.... let me return the favor,” he breathes, reaching for the ties of Victor’s dress breaches. 

Victor utters a little gasp of pleasure as Yuuri pulls open his breaches and swallows down his cock. Victor is large; too large, in fact, for Yuuri to fit his entire cock in his mouth at once. But he takes it as far as he can without gagging, bobbing his head rhythmically and tonguing the underside of his shaft. Victor watches Yuuri intently, reaching down to cup the side of Yuuri’s face in his hand, then tangling his fingers gently in Yuuri’s hair. Yuuri closes his eyes in satisfaction, relishing the feel of Victor’s length filling his mouth and the tension in the muscles of Victor’s thighs as he grips them. Eventually he hears Victor’s breath hitch, and Victor’s hand tenses ever so slightly in his hair, stilling his movements. “I think we had better pause here, my love,” Victor says. “That is, if you want me to knot you.” His voice is somewhat strained, and when Yuuri reluctantly pulls off he looks up to see Victor looking down at him, face flushed and eyes bright. 

Yuuri smiles up at him. “It’s our wedding night and I’m in heat. Of  _ course _ I want you to knot me. I believe you also promised to help me get out of this dress.” 

Victor hauls him to his feet and pulls him into a blistering kiss. “So I did.” He turns Yuuri around and gets to work helping him undress. 

To both of their frustration, this proves to be a slow and vexing process due to the complexity of the dress. There seem to be approximately one million tiny buttons down the back, which Victor gamely works his way down. The dress is feeling increasingly hot and confining as Yuuri’s heat builds, and Yuuri is fairly panting in need by the time Victor gets to the last button at the base of his spine. As the dress falls away, Victor runs his hands over Yuuri’s chest. Yuuri leans into the touch, moaning when Victor’s clever fingers find his nipples and rub tight circles over them. Yuuri’s once carefully constructed hairdo is falling down around his neck, and Victor brushes a lock of it aside to kiss his scent gland. Yuuri cranes his neck around to meet Victor’s lips with his own, and the dress finally falls entirely to the floor, pooling around his feet. Yuuri is blessedly naked now, and it’s easy for Victor to pick him up and lay him down gently on the bed. Yuuri relaxes back onto the silky smooth bedding as Victor strips off his own clothing (much more efficiently) and then joins Yuuri in bed, laying over top of him. Yuuri presses up against Victor’s body, tangling their legs together. Victor mouths gently at the gland on Yuuri’s neck and Yuuri keens in anticipation. 

Then Victor pulls back for a moment to look at him seriously. “We don’t have to bond tonight, if you don’t want to,” he says. “We’ll be expected to be bonded by the end of your heat, of course, but there’s no need to rush if you’re not-”

Yuuri presses a finger to Victor’s lips, stopping his words. “I’ve been waiting for months, Victor, I don’t want to wait any longer,” he says.

“Alright. Then neither do I,” Victor says with a joyful smile. He still looks to Yuuri for permission before entering him, however. It’s sweet, but Yuuri is  _ quite _ ready for this and rolls his hips eagerly as soon as Victor’s cock is fully sheathed. Victor groans, then sits back on his heels, tugging Yuuri’s legs up onto his shoulders. This position results in the most delightful press of Victor’s cock against that sensitive spot inside Yuuri, and Yuuri gasps in pleasure as Victor begins to thrust. As Victor presses into him again and again with forceful rolls of his hips, Yuuri forgets about all their worries; his world narrows down until his whole focus is on the place where their bodies are joined in such intense pleasure. He thinks about the fact that he’s not been taking any contraceptive herbs, and wonders whether he’ll be pregnant by the end of this heat; it’s highly likely, and the thought somehow pushes him rapidly towards orgasm. 

Victor must sense that Yuuri is suddenly very close to coming, because he slows the movement of his hips until he is fucking Yuuri in a slow and lazy manner that keeps him just this side of coming. At the peak of his heat as he is, it’s practically unbearable. Yuuri pants, whines, squirms, and finally breaks down and begs. “Gods, Victor… just  _ knot _ me already, please… please,” he stutters, voice hoarse. 

Victor groans, and leans down to press his lips to Yuuri’s. “Alright… alright,” he says, closing his eyes. “This may hurt-”

“I don’t care,” Yuuri says fiercely. “Just do it!”

And Victor, every obliging, does: body shaking in tension, he pushes his swelling knot past Yuuri’s rim. Yuuri moans at the delicious stretch, feeling as though he’s a hair’s breadth from coming. Victor gasps, freezes for just a moment, then leans forward to bite down hard on Yuuri’s neck gland as he comes. The moment his teeth break Yuuri’s skin, Yuuri is utterly overwhelmed by a rush of pleasure so intense that it sweeps any and all pain away before it. All he can do is cling to Victor, trembling and gasping, as the storm of his orgasm surges through him.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Yuuri’s not sure how long they lie there afterwards, locked together in a haze of pleasure. Eventually, however, Victor’s knot begins to deflate and Yuuri’s mind returns to some semblance of coherent thought. He becomes aware that Victor is looking down at his neck in concern.

“Are you alright?” Victor asks. “That looks like it must hurt.”

Yuuri can’t see the bite, but he can feel it as a concentrated point of pulsing heat on his neck. It doesn’t hurt, precisely, but it aches in a strange throbbing way that hovers somewhere between pleasure and pain. He brings his hand to it cautiously, and for some reason is surprised when his fingers come away bloody. “It feels… strange,” he says. “In a good way, though. I feel... claimed.” He does; he feels like he belongs to Victor completely and utterly, and that Victor belongs to him. It’s an amazing feeling, actually, and he smiles up at Victor in wonder.

Victor smiles back but still looks concerned. “It’s bleeding,” he says. “Let me get you something to put on it.”

Yuuri makes a little noise of protest as Victor pulls out of him and gets up off the bed, but Victor shushes him. “I’m just going to get some water and salve to clean the bite,” he says. 

Yuuri acquiesces and settles back down on the bed, watching appreciatively as Victor pads naked across the room to the washbasin. Halfway there, however, he stops. Yuuri follows his gaze, and sees that his eye has been caught by the large pile of wedding presents on one side of the room. It’s a frankly ridiculous number of lavish gifts, which the servants had neatly stacked in their room during dinner. On the top of the pile lies a single sheet of paper, which seems to be what has caught Victor’s attention. Victor picks it up with a frown, his face becoming increasingly upset as he scans the paper. 

“What is it?” Yuuri asks worriedly.

Victor looks up, hesitates for a moment, then hands the paper over to Yuuri with a sigh. It’s an extremely short letter:

  
  


_ Dear Yuuri and Victor, _

_ Congratulations on your wedding! I was most pleased to hear the announcement of your engagement, and of Victor being named the Crown Prince (although I was not surprised by either). Ruling a kingdom can be a difficult and occasionally messy business, as I am sure you are quickly learning. Should you ever need a certain service performed (I trust you know what I mean), I hope you will consider hiring me. Don’t worry about trying to find me however- perhaps one of these days I’ll pay you a visit. _

_ Your friend, _

_ Chiho _

  
  


“The audacity!” Victor says, clearly incensed. “To suggest that we might wish, after everything that happened, to hire her to… to…  _ assassinate _ someone for us!”

Yuuri stares at the letter in some shock. “How did this get in here?” he asks. 

Victor sighs and runs a hand over his face. “It wasn’t here before dinner, so I guess she must have dropped it off while we were at the feast. I really am going to have to look more closely at our security measures.”

“I suppose so,” Yuuri agrees. Then he crumples the paper up and tosses it across the room.

“What are you doing?” Victor asks. “Aren’t you worried about-”

“No,” Yuuri says. “I refuse to worry about Chiho or anything else at the moment. Right now, I just want to enjoy my wedding night with my new mate; she and the rest of the world can wait. Come here.” He holds out his hand imperiously.

Victor’s face softens. “Alright then,” he says. “We’ll worry about her later.” He grabs a wet cloth and some salve, and comes to sit next to Yuuri on the bed. He dabs gently at the bite mark with the cloth, then applies the salve, which leaves a cool tingling sensation in its wake. Afterwards, Victor regards the bite mark with a mixture of pride and concern. “I confess I rather like the way it looks on you,” he says, “But... I feel bad for causing you any pain.”

Yuuri takes his hand. “It doesn’t hurt much,” he assures him. “It’s nothing compared to the pain I felt when I thought we could never be together.”

Victor shudders, and pulls him close. “That was a horrible feeling,” he agrees. “But we’re together now, and I won’t let anything tear us apart again.”

Yuuri relaxes into his embrace. “Neither will I.” 

He closes his eyes, savoring the peaceful moment. He doesn’t know what all the future holds in store for them, or what difficulties they will face together. As King and Consort, he knows their road probably won’t be an easy one. But as he thinks back on everything that led them to this moment, he knows that he wouldn’t change a single thing. 

Yuuri holds his mate close, and sinks into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I can't believe this fic is finished! This has been a real labor of love, and I am so incredibly thankful to everyone who has read, enjoyed, and left kudos and comments! This fandom gives me so much joy.
> 
> I'm celardor12 on tumblr and twitter


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